


Draco is Freaking Out™

by orphan_account



Series: Draco's hair can change colour and Harry is Obsessed! [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drarry, Fourth Year, HARRY on the other hand, Hogwarts, M/M, Truth or Dare, also its got my fav trope, also they play, and im tagging that cause i know people search for that, and nobody can stop me from unashamedly trying to make my fic get more hits, because that is THE BEST, btw theres no yule ball, from Draco's part at least, get ready for a whole lot of DENIAL, harry and slytherin friendship, i'm not even sorry that's just how i write, its brilliant, literally the only reason is because i just forgot so sorry about that, metamorphmagus!draco, oh and hermione and pansy are totally fangirls and hardcore ship drarry because ofc, oh boy do they all tease the shit out of draco, tri-wizard tournament
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 12:44:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9657983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It's fourth year and Draco's decided "fuck it." He's a metamorphmagus and in true Malfoy fashion he has learnt to control it so as not to reveal his emotions to anyone. (Stone Cold Ice Prince hell yeah) But now, that's gone all out the window. So he returns to Hogwarts, greeted with the suprise of the Triwizard tournament which all-round boy wonder, Potter is obviously in and suddenly his hair is a Big Deal because now Harry has Feelings which gives Draco Feelings and AHHH what the hell!!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by [this headcanon](http://klarogasms.tumblr.com/post/143684395362/metamorphmagusdraco) I saw on tumblr which is brilliant. Basically the reason I wrote this fic was because I saw that post, tried to find a metamorphmagus!draco fic, couldn't and TADAA I've written my own.
> 
> Okay so first chapter woo! Well actually it's the prologue and so this will be much shorter than the rest of the chapters. This is my first full fanfic that isn't just a oneshot so yeah. I've already got each chapter planned out so I'm gonna try and stick to a posting schedule of at least once a week. Anyway, hope you enjoy and comments/reviews would be much appreciated so I can improve my writing!! (shoutout to the beatles for being majority of the music i listened to while i was planning this fic)

Draco was different. And he loved it.  
  
Ever since he was two years old and his hair changed from bleach blond to the same shade of blue as the cover of a book he saw on a shelf, his parents had known that their son was a metamorphmagus.  
  
They had tried their best to teach him to use his abilities but it hadn’t really worked considering they did not have this power themselves. One attempt at a lesson ended up with the poor crying toddler with his face stuck in the shape of a duck bill. In times of desperation, they had even called on Narcissa’s niece, Nymphadora Tonks who also possessed the shape shifting ability. Draco had taken an instant liking to his cousin but learning how to control his abilities with her abruptly ended when Lucius Malfoy found the two of them playing pranks on the house elves together.  
  
By Draco’s first year at Hogwarts, he had still not perfected his metamorphmagus powers but could manage to control his emotions which aided him in not having his feelings on display in the form of the colour of his hair.  
  
He had quickly become friends with other purebloods when he was sorted in Slytherin. He immediately became close to Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Of course, there was also the two blundering idiots, Crabbe and Goyle, but Draco hardly considered them friends, rather two brainless boulders who had taken a liking to following him around simply because of his surname.  
  
When he told his new friends of his ability they had immediately asked for him to change his hair which soon progressed into more ridiculous requests. Of course, this was Draco Malfoy, and he believed that he could do anything, so he took on the challenges eagerly. All of the messing around with his friends soon became the way that Draco properly learned to control his abilities.  
  
His hair still would change colour with his mood unless he was paying the utmost attention to ensure it remained its strikingly light blond colour. He was generally pretty good at it…  
  
…Except of course when it came to stupid Potter. Harry Potter who Draco had so kindly offered his friendship on the first day but been blatantly denied. He was the only one who consistently managed to make Draco lose his temper and send his hair into a flurry of different intensities of red.  
  
The first time Harry had succeeded in making this happen and thus finding out about Draco’s power was before they had even arrived at Hogwarts, on the train. Draco had insulted the Weasel and mudblood and then the Boy Who Lived decided it would be a nice idea to retort as if he had the right to talk to a _Malfoy_ in such a disrespecting way. Draco had struggled to keep his cool after being constantly drilled by his father that Malfoys did not show emotion, let alone have it on display on their head. Potter just had to take it too far though and Draco’s hair had gone bright red accompanied by his eyes taking on a similar shade.  
  
From then on, Harry had regularly tried to get a rise out of Draco and, more often than not, he would succeed. He loved watching the boy’s hair turn into flames and his eyes darkening but also looking hopeless as he continued to lose his temper all because of Saint freaking Potter. Harry loved knowing how much Draco hated it.  
As the years wore on, Harry and Draco’s rivalry had only grown in strength as the Slytherin continued to insult him and his friends although they seemed to be delivered in more of a joking way than both boys would like to admit.  
  
Nevertheless, they both strongly insisted that the other was their _worst_ enemy, perhaps besides Voldemort for Harry at least. One of each of the boys’ friends, Pansy and Hermione, had a feeling that that might not be the case though.


	2. stfu Blaise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I _said_ this was a kind of joking/angsty fic and this chapter is most definitely leaning towards joking. And would you look at that! Uploading two days in a row! Woo! I might even end up uploading twice today because it's only 2:12 and so I've got ages to write. 
> 
> Anyway, it's still kind of setting the scene/introducing the story so yeah. Around chapter 2 or 3 is where stuff really starts happening.

All Summer, ever since the Quidditch World Cup, the students of Hogwarts were buzzing with excitement for the unknown event rumoured to take place at Hogwarts when school returned.  
  
Draco Malfoy did not know what this event was, no matter how much he begged for his father to tell, but he did know that Voldemort was to be involved, not to the knowledge of the Ministry or the school. Draco wasn’t supposed to know, he didn’t even _want_ to know now that he did, but around a week before he was to start his fourth year at Hogwarts, he had walked past his father’s study in the middle of the night to fetch some water and heard a voice that certainly _wasn’t_ his father’s. Of course he was intrigued but merlin, he wished he wasn’t. When he heard, what was unmistakably Voldemort and his father discussing their plans for the year ahead his hair had gone bright white and he ran all the way back to his wing of the manor. Why didn’t he just get water from his mother’s kitchens instead?  
  
He didn’t care that he wasn’t supposed to cast magic outside of the school. He silenced his room to the outside world with a few _silencio_ charms and then screamed. He threw objects into walls. Shattered that damned vase that was supposed to be a family heirloom that his mother had insisted putting in his room. He ripped the pages from all the books in his shelf.  
  
Draco Malfoy was in a rage and, even without his destructive actions, it was all too clear to see. His hair that was normally a light blond was a fiery red and his eyes were pure black making him look like a demon.  
  
He _hated_ his father. He _hated_ Voldemort. He _hated_ the death-eaters. He _hated_ being involved in this life.  
  
Draco slumped against the wall after he had broken everything within his reach until everything in his room was in pieces, including himself, his hair turning a bluey-grey.  
  
It would only be a few years before he would be forced to get the dark mark. _Then_ , it would certainly be all over. At least now he had hope, although each day, it was getting harder to believe that was true.  
  


* * *

On Platform 9¾ Lucius Malfoy sent his son off with no show of affection, simply demanding him to get good grades and remember that he must keep his metamorphmagus abilities under control.  
  
Draco walked off to his compartment smirking. He would never disobey his father straight to his face but his father wouldn't be there while he was at Hogwarts so this was the perfect ‘fuck you.’  
  
Blaise, Pansy and Theo were already seated when Draco entered and they all greeted him with a hug. Blaise, being ever so dramatic, draped himself across Draco when he sat down. “We _miiiisssssseeeed_ you Dracy Poo! Your father wouldn’t even let you send us letters!” Draco laughed and shoved him off, his hair turning a playful yellow while doing so.  
  
Pansy pointed it out to which Draco just shrugged. This year was going to be fun.  
  
On the other side of the train, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter were all crammed into a compartment along with Ginny, Fred, George, Lee, Neville, Dean and Seamus. Harry’s stomach was growling but the Trolley Lady seemed to be avoiding their particular compartment. _Can’t blame her,_ thought Harry. _Any moment now_ something _will probably explode_. He was proved right as not two seconds later did one of the twins convince Neville to try one of their new ‘inventions’ causing a large bang to sound from his stomach and make steam come out of his ears.  
  
“Brilliant!” Laughed Fred, high-fiving his brother.  
  
Harry laughed along with everyone else but he really wished to just be at Hogwarts already and get some down time. Between having to live with the Dursleys and then spending the rest of the Summer with the Weasleys, who he loved but thought they could be a bit too much at times, Harry was exhausted.  
  
When they _finally_ arrived at Hogwarts, Harry felt a huge weight lift off his chest. He was home.  
  
The Great Hall seemed to be full of more excitement than usual with an air of anticipation present. As everybody took their seats, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement. As he spoke, the students hung onto every word as if it were a lifeline.  
  
“Greetings and welcome back to Hogwarts for those of you who are returning and welcome to those who have just arrived.” He smiled kindly down at the first years who were sitting on the floor in black robes, most of which far too large for their wearer, waiting to be sorted.  
  
“I have a special announcement as many of you have been expecting. This year, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament!” The entire hall exploded with cheering and clapping, even from the students without the slightest clue as to what the aforementioned was.  
  
“For those who don’t know because they haven’t read Hogwarts: A History,” Hermione smiled proudly, “The Triwizard Tournament is an inter-school competition where a champion from each of the three schools competing will undergo perilous tasks only the greatest witch or wizard could survive! To win this tournament would be to receive 1000 galleons prize money as well as ETERNAL GLORY!” If possible, the cheering was even louder than before.  
  
“However,” spoke Dumbledore, “the Tournament has not been played for many years as a result of the abundant number of deaths. As per request of the Ministry, to allow the tournament to return, an age limit of seventeen will be in place so that no student under that age may enter.”  
  
Majority of the hall was furious. People were shouting about how this was an outrage and how unfair it was, Ron and Harry included who, previous to the announcement of an age limit, were eager to enter.  
  
As if every single voice had hit a brick wall, suddenly all of the noise stopped. Everybody was staring at the Slytherin table, more specifically, at Draco Malfoy whose hair was the same red it was as the night when he heard Voldemort in his father’s study. His eyes were the same black and one of the girls sitting near him screamed.  
  
Draco looked murderous. He was only fourteen years old but he looked as if he could _kill_. Fourteen year olds were _not_ supposed to look intimidating.  
  
Harry almost fell of his chair. A few people actually did.  
  
Silence seemed to rest over the Great Hall for an eternity before food appeared on the tables and everyone immediately dug in, most gossiping about what just happened.  
  
That night, Harry couldn’t seem to get the image of Draco out of his head. Sure, he had seen Draco’s metamorphmagus abilities before, quite often when they were fighting, but Draco had always tried to stop them. At the Great Hall, Draco had his full powers on display without any restraint and it was _insane_.  
  
Harry’s not sure if he got any sleep.  


* * *

  
Draco rolls his eyes at his friend. “You only like the Holyhead Harpies because they’re all girls and you like staring at their asses.”  
  
Theo looked affronted. “Hell no! Besides, the only reason you don’t stare at them is because they’re not ‘your type.’”  
  
“What the fuck you do mean ‘not my type’?”  
  
Pansy snorted. “C’mon Draco. We’ve all noticed you staring at Blaise. You are not straight.”  
  
Draco’s hair changed into a colour that resembled cotton candy. “W-what? No!” He splutters.  
  
Blaise rolled his eyes and cast an over-dramatic wink to him as they all entered the great hall. “I can’t blame you. I mean I _am_ a sexy beast. Who wouldn’t want me?”

Pansy punched his arm as Blaise laughed.  
  
Draco groaned. He was out to his friends because they noticed him staring at Blaise’s ass. Brilliant. He knew that as soon as they returned to the common room they were going to tease the shit out of him.  
  
As the group of Slytherins entered the hall Draco was vaguely aware of his hair still being a bright pink from the previous conversation. He tried to hide it but _of course_ Potter was the one who noticed and decided to point it out to the rest of Gryffindor.  
  
“Hey Ferret!” Shouted the Weasel. “Nice hair! It’s like a fairy – pink! Not so intimidating now, eh Malfoy?”  
  
Draco glared daggers at him and stalked to his seat. At least now his hair wasn’t pink.  
  
That night, in the common room, the four Slytherins were sat in a circle in the boys’ dormitory. Draco’s hair was grey with dread with a few streaks of orange which failed to hide his slight amusement.  
  
“So Draco, just this morning we discovered something interesting about you, didn’t we?” Began Pansy. She turned to Blaise and Theo who nodded enthusiastically.

“Oh yes we did, Pansy dear. Now what was it again exactly?” Theo continued, amusement in his voice.  
  
Draco groaned at his friends’ antics. He was not going to have any dignity after tonight.  
  
“Oh, I believe it was a certain thing to do with Draco here thinking that I am _fucking hot_. Because I am.” Blaise smirked as he added the last bit.  
  
Draco glared at his friends, although half-heartedly. “Is that all you’re going to say. Announce something you’ve already figured out?” He knew this wasn’t true. They were Slytherins for fuck sake. If they wanted something they would get it and at this moment, humiliating Draco seemed to be their desire.  
  
Draco awoke with a groan as he recalled last night’s events. Veritaserum. Listing every boy he deemed snoggable. _Saying Potter’s name._  
  
Draco dragged himself down to the Great Hall and sat down next to Theo, loading his plate with bacon.  
  
Draco found himself staring around the great hall and his eyes settled on a particular group of Gryffindors.  
  
Pansy plopped down next to him and then noticed where he was looking and smirked. “Hmm. I suppose Potter looks all right but I would never kiss him. I can’t believe that you think he’s snoggable.” Draco paled at the mention of what he had said last night.  
  
His hair went into a rainbow of rapidly changing colours as he freaked out. “SHH! Someone will hear you!”  
  
Blaise snickered and Draco turned to glare at him only causing him to burst out laughing. The only form of explanation offered was Blaise pointing at Draco’s rainbow hair and wheezing out “gay” before rolling on the floor, struggling to breathe through his laughter.  
  
Draco cast a silencing charm on his friend to make sure no more attention was drawn to them. He performed the countercharm when Blaise’s laughs had died down to silent chuckles. He saw Blaise take another look at his still multi-coloured hair and interrupted him before he had a chance to start laughing again. “You can shut up. I bet you’re gay as well. It’s not like you haven’t been returning the looks I’m giving you.”  
  
Draco’s attempt to humiliate Blaise or at least make him feel slightly sheepish had the opposite effect as Blaise smiled widely and stood upon the table. “You, Draco, are absolutely wrong. I am not gay. I am _bisexual_ thank you very much.” Blaise’s announcement had been said in the loudest voice he could muster so that the entire student body could hear him.  
  
“Why did you feel the need to fucking YELL that and traumatise everyone here besides just, y’know, saying it a normal volume like _sane_ people do.” Draco asked.  
  
“Well, I figured now that I’m out, you should join me and that way you will be one step closer to fulfilling your dying wish of snogging Potter. Oh, by the way, Theo or Pansy, if you would like to join our non-straight club then just say.”  
  
The hair on Draco’s head shifted to pink along as he saw a few Slytherins turning to stare at him meaning they had obviously heard Blaise’s statement. Fuck it. He jumped up onto the table next to Blaise, angering the Slytherin whose pudding he had accidently stepped in.  
  
“I AM FUCKING GAY!” He shouted to the Great Hall, having the effect of a silencing charm.  
  
Pansy hopped up next to them. “SO AM I!”  
  
Blaise joined in with the yelling. “AND I’M BI!”  
  
The three of them stared at Theo expectantly. He sighed and clambered up next to them quite awkwardly due to his long legs. “I’m ace and actually have common sense to not yell and ruin everyone’s hearing. I am so sorry about them.”  
  
Blaise squealed in delight. “We are the fucking gay group in school! All my dreams have come true!”  
  
Theo prodded him with his spoon. “We’re not all gay. _You’re_ not gay.”  
  
“Shut up don’t be such a spoil sport.”  
  
On the other side of the hall, Ron was having a field day. “Did you hear that Harry? The git is gay! And he just yelled it to everyone! Merlin.”  
  
Normally in such a situation, Harry would be laughing along with Ron but he was unusually quiet which of course Hermione noticed but she chose not to say anything.  
  
Harry was in turmoil. Growing up with the Dursleys, he was always very sheltered about certain things but he had heard them muttering about one of the parents in Dudley’s class being ‘one of those gay freaks’.  
  
He had known gay people existed but had never really thought about it as anything other than an abstract thought. But now, somebody - _multiple people_ \- he knew were out there being actively non-straight and it’s actually a _real thing_.  
  
And so as Harry begins questioning his own sexuality he decides he is Officially Confused™


	3. Harry is NOT in denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this turned out to be a bit shorter than I wanted it to be but oh well. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> basically just harry trying to figure what the fuck is going on  
> pansy and hermione noticing harry doing so and become #1 drarry trash  
> and when hermione makes harry realise things he is NOT in denial thank you very much. not at all... nope
> 
> also i was about to post this hours ago but we had a really long black out so here it is now. also i've started writing the next chapter too so that should be up soon!

Harry, as well as almost half the school, was sat in the Great Hall on a Sunday morning; a usually unusual behaviour for the students of Hogwarts. The situation proved to be different however as, the night before, Professor Dumbledore had placed the Goblet of Fire in the middle of the hall for any of age students wishing to compete in the Triwizard Tournament to enter.  
  
Two certain identical red-headed wizards, just a few months under the age limit, came bounding into the hall along with everyone’s cheers, each holding a vial of what vaguely looked like an aging potion.  
  
Harry supposed he should be paying attention, along with everyone else, to Fred and George’s attempt to enter the tournament despite being under-aged as it would undoubtedly be entertaining whether they were successful or not but he found himself pre-occupied with other things on his mind.  
  
Ever since Harry had started questioning his sexuality he didn’t know what to do. Normally with things like this he would ask Hermione, sometimes even Ron, but he really didn’t want to tell her this, at least not yet. As a result of this, Harry decided he should take things into his own hands.  
  
He begins staring around the room, not worrying about anyone noticing him as they were all too busy watching the Weasley twins. His eyes settle on Ginny. _She looks alright,_ thinks Harry. He looked over to Dean Thomas who was standing next to Ginny and evaluated him too. _Got an alright ass I guess,_ he thinks causing him to blush at his own thoughts.  
  
Harry continues looking at all the students in the hall, thinking of each one in a way he would never say out loud. He had to admit, this was making him even more confused than he was. He was looking at boys and girls and thought they _both_ looked nice so he couldn’t be gay or straight. _Maybe I’m bi?_ thinks Harry. He smiles to himself. That makes sense.  
  
Hermione did admit, it was a little weird watching her friend undress everyone in the room with his eyes but after she had felt a pair of eyes on herself she had been instantly curious as to what Harry was doing. Putting the pieces together and being clever as she was, it didn’t take Hermione long to figure it out. However, she wasn’t sure to feel more offended or relieved that Harry had seemed to stare at her for the shortest amount of time and slightly scrunch up his face in disgust when he turned away.  
  
One particular thing Hermione had noticed with Harry’s staring was that although he seemed to dismiss each person in a moderate amount of time, he kept staring the longest and returning to look at one person in the room. What shocked Hermione the most was who that person was: Draco Malfoy. She also notices another person who has seen Harry staring at Draco. Her and Pansy Parkinson catch each other’s’ gaze and after a short, silent conversation through discreetly gesturing to their friends and then making stupid heart symbols, Pansy nods and walks out of the hall, Hermione following not long after.  
  
Hermione meets Pansy in the nearest empty classroom and before she even manages to open her mouth Pansy is squealing in delight. “OMG Granger, _finally!_ I’ve been trying to catch your gaze all week cause I figured _you’d_ be the one to cotton on! So anyway, we totally got Draco to admit he wants to snog Potter and we need to devise an action plan to get them together.”  
  
Once Hermione recovered from the shock of practically being shrieked at, she smirked and her and Pansy spent the next few hours until lunch plotting their ultimate ‘make drarry canon’ plan.  
  
That night, Harry found himself cornered by Hermione in what she had tried to make seem casual but was so painfully obvious it wasn’t.  
  
Initiating stage one of ‘Operation Drarry’ she mentioned Draco’s new behaviours of not controlling his metamorphmagus abilities to Harry, hoping for Harry to admit or at least _mention_ that he had been staring at or thinking about Draco.  
  
Hermione jumped back as it completely backfires and Harry starts ranting about ‘bloody Malfoy’.  
  
“He’s a fucking git, Hermione. I hate his fucking guts and his fucking hair which the idiot can’t seem to control. I wish he would just leave me alone! Although he has recently, have you noticed? I bet you 10 galleons it’s all about some sadistic plan he has to either murder someone or humiliate me. I just want him to fucking disappear!”  
  
Hermione blinked at her raven-haired friend. Not _quite_ the reaction she had hoped for but he had kind of admitted what he wanted her too underneath all of the insults. _Kind of_  
  
As the next few days past Harry didn’t seem to stop complaining about one thing or another about Draco. Ron who had recently been deprived of a ‘trash-talk-about-Malfoy’ buddy was overjoyed and between the two of them, Hermione soon got fed up of listening to the constant stream of ‘Malfoy’s stupid this’ or ‘Malfoy’s fucking that’.  
  
Losing all her patience and completely abandoning her and Pansy’s plan, she corners Harry after their last class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts.  
  
“Oh hullo Hermio-“  
  
“Do you have a crush on Malfoy?”  
  
Harry laughed and rested the back of his hand against Hermione’s forehead. “Are you alright Hermione? Have you got a fever?”  
  
Hermione huffed and stalked off down the hall.  
  
Harry chuckles to himself and makes his own way to Gryffindor tower but he yet again finds his mind preoccupied with other things.  
  
Him having a crush on Malfoy? That was insane! Who would ever like that git? Why would Hermione think _he_ liked the git? But then, Hermione always had her reasons when it came to everything.  
  
_Does_ Harry like Malfoy? It _is_ possible.  
  
Harry’s thoughts are interrupted as two first year Ravenclaws run past him yelling excitedly as they chase each other. Oh my god. What was he thinking? He did _not_ like Malfoy. That was…it was…PREPOSTEROUS!  
  
No no no no no no. There was no _fucking_ way Harry Potter would ever have a crush on Draco Malfoy and this did _not_ mean he was in denial. No.


	4. Draco u fucking idiot don't run away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama™

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consistent updates? Pfft. A myth. Think more along the lines of posting consecutively multiple days in a row and then disappearing for a week or so before returning and again posting copious amounts. That's more like it.
> 
> So yeah, here's the new chapter. I'm currently writing the next one so that'll either be up today or tomorrow.

The whole of Hogwarts and the visiting guests of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were all gathered in the great hall, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the school champions. Everyone finished their food in half the amount of time it usually took. The moment Dumbledore stood up from his seat, silence seemed to wash over the hall and butts were as far forward on seats as they could be without falling off.  
  
“Everyone! It is time, as you all know, that we present the Triwizard champions of each school!” Cheering erupted from all the tables and Dumbledore continued once it had quieted down, a twinkle in his eyes. “Yes, yes. Very exciting. Now, Mr. Filch, if you would care to bring out the Goblet of Fire.”  
  
All eyes were on a man in ripped, smelly robes running – if you could even call it that – down the middle of the great hall to retrieve the goblet. Once grabbing the goblet he repeated the same ‘running’ action to return to the teachers’ table.  
  
“Thank you, Argus.” Said Dumbledore, taking the goblet from his hands and placing it atop the same stool the sorting hat sits on at the beginning of each year. “The champions shall now be announced!”  
  
As Dumbledore spoke, the blue flames turned red and a slip of parchment burst out from the goblet and into Dumbledore’s hands. “From Beauxbatons Academy, Fleur Decleur!” The students of Beauxbatons clapped enthusiastically for their classmate (although there were a few who were struggling to hide their scowl of jealousy). Ron, along with many of the other boys, were entranced as she walked past and required a book across their head from Hermione to snap them out of it.  
  
“And next,” The flames turned red once again as another bit of parchment flew out, “from Durmstrang Institute, Viktor Krum!” Applause broke out again as the famous quidditch player followed Fleur through a door at the back of the hall.  
  
All of the Hogwarts students seemed to be the most eager to find out who the last champion was and all collectively drew in a breath as the flames turned red.  
  
“Finally, from Hogwarts School, Cedric Diggory!” There was excited clapping and cheering louder than any of the others bursting from all of the tables. Hufflepuff was the most thrilled with one student even fainting. Cedric walked towards the door smiling.  
  
Dumbledore opened his mouth to congratulate the champions when the flames turned red once again and one more piece of parchment flew out. The headmaster seemed to stare at the parchment for an eternity before muttering a name quietly but heard by all.  
  
“ _Harry Potter_ ”  
  
Harry couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move.  
  
“Go on Harry.” Hermione nudged him into a standing position and Dumbledore immediately came storming over.  
  
**“DID YOU!!” *smashes goblet* “PUT YOUR!!” *destroys Hufflepuff table* “NAME IN THE!!” *chucks McGonagall out a window* “GOBLET OF _FIYYAAHH!!!!!!!!_ ”** said Dumbledore calmly.  
  
Harry shook his head but no sound came out.  
  
At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was frozen. His hair was a frenzy of colours. Harry couldn’t compete! He was only 14! This wasn’t right. There had to be a mistake. He watched Harry walk into the room at the side of the hall and the second he was out of sight, Draco sprinted out of the hall, not knowing where he was going.  
  
“Draco wait-!” Pansy’s exclamations were left unheard as she, Blaise and Theo ran out of the hall, desperately trying to find Draco.  
  
It was five hours later, at almost 12AM, that they found him hiding in the astronomy tower, his hair and eyes a bluey-grey. Draco looked up at their arrival and tears were clearly visible in his eyes. The three Slytherins sat down next to their friend and pulled him into a group hug in which he broke down and cried again.  
  
Pansy rubbed him on the back reassuringly. “Shh. Don’t worry Draco. It’ll be alright.” Her words only seemed to make things worse however as he let out another strangled sob with the words ‘but he won’t’ vaguely recognisable.  
  
After a while Draco pulled away from the hug and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He smiled at his friends. He _hated_ letting people see him cry but sometimes there was no helping it. “Thank you guys.” He said, his voice sounding croaky.  
  
They all went back to the Slytherin common room, way past curfew and Draco went straight to bed. Theo insisted on an important meeting without Draco and so they went into Pansy’s dorm, kicking out two very angry and very tired girls who were previously sleeping.  
  
“So,” began Theo, “I think Draco likes Harry.” Pansy let out a squeal.  
  
Blaise looks at her weirdly before recomposing himself. “I knew it. Oww!” He screams as Pansy punches his arm.  
  
“You did _not_ know it, you oblivious fuck.”  
  
Unable to retaliate to the undeniably true statement Blaise just shrugs and Theo snorts.  
  
They stayed up for a little while later discussing Draco and Harry but Blaise and Theo were soon kicked out of the room as Pansy’s two dorm mates demanded they let them sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Harry awoke feeling at peace until everything came crashing back down on him in a suffocating wave. The tournament, goblet of fire, his name, fourth champion.  
  
He looked over at the bed next to his only to find it devoid of its usual red-headed occupant.  
  
As Harry walked down to the great hall he received many horrid looks, most of which he was able to ignore, already being used to the staring from second year when he was thought to be the heir of Slytherin.  
  
Ron huffed as Harry sat down next to him. “Hi Ron.” He greets grimly.  
  
Ron doesn’t make any indication of hearing Harry. “Ron?” Harry poked his friend but to no avail.  
  
At that moment, Hermione arrived in the hall and sat down next to Harry. She took one look between Ron and Harry and sighed. “Ron thinks you put your name in the goblet without telling him how to.”  
  
It was then that Ron spoke up. “I can talk for myself, you know?” He snapped. “I’m not talking to _him_ because you’d think if he was my _friend_ he would tell me how to put your name in and we could do it together but _no._ Of course, it’s the bloody Boy-Who-Lived who must do everything and get all the glory.” Ron stormed off after his little outburst, leaving Harry speechless.  
  
“He-he thinks _I_ put my name in the goblet? Is that what everyone thinks? You’ve got to believe me Hermione! I didn’t put my name in!” Harry began to fret. He didn’t care what anybody thought about his name being in the goblet but even _Ron_ thought he did it on purpose.  
  
“Harry, calm down. I believe you. The look on your face when Dumbledore said your name couldn’t be faked. Ron will come around. Don’t worry.” But Harry wasn’t quite sure if he believed that.  
  
Over the next week, Harry spent most of his time alone, not by choice, however. Ron still wasn’t talking to him. “He’s just jealous” assured Hermione. “Fine! He can go and be the one who the darkest wizard is determined to murder! He can never have known his parents past the age of 2! He can be the one most likely to die before he even makes it past his teens!” Harry knew Hermione was trying to help but he couldn’t help lashing out. She had been spending most of her time with Ron recently and although she had tried to settle the peace and be there for both of them, Harry’s habit of isolating himself when things got too much resulted in him being left alone.  
  
He was barely making it through each day, so much was going on. His best friend hated him, he had to compete in a tournament which pretty much ensured death, his scar had hurt over the holidays meaning Voldemort was probably doing something, he had too much overdue homework and Draco’s hair just wouldn’t _stop_ going insane, driving Harry mad. With everything inside his own head, Harry was drowning.  
  
Draco Malfoy had most definitely noticed that Harry wasn’t looking as good as usual. He had constant bags under his eyes and never seemed to be accompanied by Weasley or Granger anymore. Of course, Draco’s worrying about Harry had only caused an endless cycle of his hair getting even more out of control the more concerned he was causing Harry to have another thing to think about, thus making Draco concerned again and the cycle repeating.  
  
Before he had barely even registered being selected as the fourth champion, the first task was rapidly approaching before slapping Harry in the face. He knew what the task was; Hagrid had showed him the dragons but, rather than helping, having the knowledge of what he was to face only seemed to make Harry feel even worse.

* * *

Harry’s hair blew in the wind as he jumped on his broomstick he had summoned, narrowly avoiding the flame sent his way by the dragon whose egg he was to steal. He caught a glimpse of bright yellow hair in the crowds and almost ran into one of the stands full of spectators as he was distracted. In a bit longer than it would’ve taken if Harry’s full attention had been focused on the task, he retrieved the golden egg, managing to avoid burning to death.  
  
He could hear cheering all around him but he could barely focus on anything besides the head of yellow-rapidly-turning-green hair of Draco Malfoy. Draco and his friends walked his way and, for a hopeful second, Harry thought they were going to say something to him but then they turned right and followed the rest of the crowd through the exit leaving Harry much more disappointed than he would ever admit.  
  
“Draco, you stupid fuck! Why didn’t you say anything to him? He was watching you and then you just chickened out!” Draco winced as Pansy’s voice got progressively higher and louder.  
  
“Well I’m not the Gryffindor, am I?” He shot back, causing all three of his friends to groan.  
  
“You should’ve just said something to him. Anything! Even if you just _nodded_ or acknowledged him in any way.” Exclaimed Theo.  
  
“You could’ve just wished him luck at the start or something. Snogged him behind the stands. Would’ve been much easier.” Said Blaise, putting a handful of chips in his mouth.  
  
“I couldn’t've just _snogged_ him! I actually have dignity! I- where the hell did you get those?” Said Draco, noticing Blaise with his mouth full of chips who just shrugged in response. “Fucking hell guys. I don’t have to do anything okay. I don’t need to wish him luck or talk to him or snog him, _Blaise_. I am perfectly fine not doing anything and just ignoring him completely.”  
  
Pansy rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say Draco.”  
  
Harry heard footsteps approach him and looked up to see Ron standing in front of him, shifting from foot to foot nervously. He cocks his head to the side inquisitively, inviting an explanation.  
  
“Listen, mate. I’m _really_ sorry. You’d have to be mad to put your own name in that goblet. We have to find and beat up whoever was the one that thought it would be funny to enter you!” Ron smiled awkwardly and Harry grinned back at him and pulled his friend into a hug.  
  
“’S’right. Wanna play exploding snap?” Just like that one of the weights had been lifted off his shoulders. Ron believed him and he was his friend again. One more thing was okay.  
  
Harry’s temporary bubble of happiness is burst, however, when he and Ron start talking and catching up on what they missed with each other.  
  
“So I was telling Nev about Malfoy being a ponce, right? Because he wasn’t in the hall when he said it. The look on his face was priceless!” Ron chuckled to himself. “I still can’t get over the fact that the git is _gay_. I betcha him and Zabini have their tongues down each other’s throats right now. Oh god. Didn’t need that mental image.”  
  
Harry blanched as Ron brought up the subject of Draco’s sexuality. He quickly made an excuse to leave the room. This ended up being a common occurrence until Harry was practically avoiding Ron to not risk being stuck in a situation where he would have to suffer his friend’s ‘opinions’ on Draco’s sexuality.  
  
It doesn’t take long for Hermione to notice Harry’s conveniently timed disappearances in relation to Ron’s ranting and she hurried to meet Pansy.  
  
“Pansy, I have great news.” Hermione whispered behind a stack of books. The two girls were sitting at the back of the library where they had met to discuss their plan of ‘Operation Drarry’. “I think Harry might not be straight meaning he and Draco actually have a chance.”  
  
Pansy was much worse at keeping her voice a low volume. “Really!?” Madam Pince, the librarian, glared at them, furiously gesturing for silence. She was ignored.  
  
“Ron keeps joking quite…harshly I guess, about Draco’s sexuality and whenever the topic is brought up Harry immediately leaves the room looking uncomfortable and almost insulted. I could be wrong but my guess is that he keeps leaving because he feels personally insulted or something.”  
  
Pansy squealed, successfully attracting the attention of most of the library’s occupants. “It won’t be long and we’ll have Draco and Harry snogging in a broom closet!! Yes!!”  
  
Pansy and Hermione continued giggling and discussing ‘Drarry’ when, only a table across from them, a chair scraped harshly across the floor as the person sitting in it stormed out.  
  
_How could she?!_ thought Harry, inwardly fuming. _Hermione, my own friend, plotting about me! And with everything that's going on!!_  
  
Harry didn’t even realise he was still stomping with a hint of tears in his eyes on his way to who-knows-where until he reached the entrance hall and is hit with a face full of cold air from outside.  
  
From the corner of the eye he saw a student walking towards him and attempted to hide his tears and make a getaway but to no avail as the student saw Harry and immediately sauntered over.  
  
“Hey Potter,” sneered Malfoy mockingly. Something shifted in his eyes as he took in Harry’s appearance. “You look horrid. A-are you okay?” Draco’s voice was surprisingly gentler accompanied by his pale yellow hair and Harry finally cracks.  
  
“No, Draco, I am not fucking okay! My best friend is prancing around and being a fucking homophobic asshole and my other friend is scheming to get me together with you, who, haha, did you know, by the way, that I have a fucking _crush_ on you and you’re a boy _and_ a Slytherin so isn’t that fucking great for me and your fucking hair is _killing_ me. Oh and that’s all just petty school stuff, not even mentioning the fact that somebody put my name in for this fucking tournament and is trying to kill me and my scar has been hurting so Voldemort’s probably fucking back and that’s just brilliant for me, you know? Seeing as I am the one that he wants to murder the most. So no, I am _not_ okay!”  
  
Draco was frozen. Harry was breathing heavily from his speech as he stared at Draco waiting for an answer. The boy’s hair was flashing through every single colour that ever existed, too fast for Harry to even distinguish one colour from the next. Without saying a word, Draco turned and sprinted away leaving Harry standing in the entrance hall alone.  
  
He groaned and punched a wall, not taking caring or even taking notice of the dent in the stone or the blood dripping from his knuckles and blending in with his red Gryffindor tie.


	5. stuff HAPPENS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A N G S T

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so this is really short like only a thousand words but STUFF HAPPENS and would you look at that. I said i might upload again tonight and I did. I might start writing the next chapter today as well but it most likely won't be done before tomorrow unless I end up staying up past 12AM (which tbh is also very likely to happen but my laptop will be charging by then so yeah)  
> Enough rambling: CHAPTER!

Harry was frustrated. And angry. And sad. And confused.  
  
He was a heaping mess desperately in need of help and support from his friends and so he did what Harry does best.  
  
He isolated himself.  
  
Walking out of the castle he vaguely registered the ground being covered in a thick layer of snow. He trudged through the white grounds towards the lake’s edge where he laid down to rest his eyes for just a moment.  
  
Harry fell asleep, shivering as his bare skin made contact with the snow.  
  
He wasn’t discovered until Theo was out walking around the grounds like he often does to clear his head and gave a shriek as he almost tripped over Harry lying on the ground.  
  
“Potter, what the fuck? You’re gonna get hypothermia. You’re the boy who lived not the boy who died of a cold. Come on.” Harry was still half asleep as Theo hoisted him over his shoulders and dragged him all the way to the Slytherin common room which was closest of all the houses.  
  
Many people stared as Harry was pulled through the common room but Theo just shushed them and pushed Harry up the stairs and then onto his bed, startling Blaise as he opened the door a tad too roughly, still muttering ‘fucking Potter. Only an idiot would fall asleep in the snow. Draco would’ve murdered someone if he died.’  
  
Harry curled into the sheets immediately but his shivering continued until Blaise had the sense to cast a warming charm on him.  
  
The two Slytherins stood staring at Harry sleeping for a minute before Blaise turned to Theo. “What do we do now?”  
  
There was another silence before Theo simply said “Pansy.”  
  
A moment later and this time three Slytherins were standing in the middle of the room watching Harry sleep. “Well I know kidnapping Harry to make him and Draco confess their endless love for each other was an _option_ but it’s also kind of creepy so I wasn’t planning on doing it but hey, here’s here now. That’s good enough for me.”  
  
“Pansy shut up. He’s practically dead.”  
  
“No he’s a lazy sleeping shit. WAKE UP POTTER!” Pansy’s shrieks were accompanied with an Auquamenti spell, successfully rousing Harry from his sleep in a quite undignified fashion.  
  
“Huh?” He said sleepily, drool slowly falling from his mouth.  
  
“God, you are disgusting. Would you care to provide an explanation as for why you were sleeping in the _snow_?” Demanded Pansy.  
  
Harry’s memories of what had occurred only a few hours ago came rushing back and jolted his mind awake. He fucking ranted to Draco and told him he liked him and Draco ran away without saying a single thing. The fucking asshole.  
  
Harry looked up at the three Slytherins who were (rather impatiently) waiting for an answer. They hadn’t even hexed him yet. _Fuck it,_ thought Harry and so he told them everything and repeated his rant, this time with the addition of Draco abandoning him. When he reached that part, Pansy’s eyes gained a murderous look and the second he finishes his speech she stormed out the room.  
  
“What’s the go with her?” Asked Harry.  
  
Blaise shrugged and began munching on some chips. Theo snatched some chips from Blaise before answering. “Just you wait, she’s gonna come marching back in here, dragging Draco by his ear and then yelling at him with the force of an angry mother.”  
  
Harry laughed as images on Molly Weasley scolding the twins and Ron after she discovered they’d flown the Ford Angela in second year with Pansy in Molly’s place filled his mind.  
  
Not 2 minutes later did Pansy return, exactly as Theo had described, dragging Draco by his ear who was cursing loudly and struggling to break free of her hold.  
  
She shoved him into the room and stood in front of the door, successfully blocking the exit. Draco scowled and Pansy returned it with a smirk.  
  
“What do you want me to do? Confess my undying love for Harry and how I can’t survive a single day without him and his oh-so-green eyes?”  
  
Pansy’s smirk grew as Draco said Harry instead of Potter. “Yes. Exactly that.”  
  
Harry failed to keep his laughter silent for any longer as Draco’s hair turned neon pink and a cackle pierced the silence of Draco and Pansy’s staring match.  
  
Blaise, Pansy and Theo were grinning, thoroughly amused as Harry clutched his stomach, struggling for air as he continued to laugh. Draco couldn’t speak for a few moments as was entranced with Harry’s laughter before returning to his senses. “What?” He snapped.  
  
Harry’s laughter just grew even louder, if possible, and his eyes began to water. Between laughs, Harry manages to let out “I’m sorry. It’s just so hilarious. You know I like you and you so obviously like me back but you are just swimming in a lake of denial. It’s fucking hilarious. And I’m probably going to be murdered soon enough with my scar aching and being in this fucking tournament without even entering my name. Ron doesn’t know I’m bi – which I only figured out not that long ago – and with all his comments about your coming out he seems pretty homophobic and Hermione’s been plotting about me with Pansy. Everybody wants me to be their hero but I’m really not okay but I’ve got to act like I’m 100% fine or else the Daily Prophet will be headlining ‘The Tragic Sadness in the Life of The Boy Who Lived’ although I’m probably on the front page everyday anyway and I’m fucking _dying_ inside and I can’t do a thing about it.” By this point, the tears in Harry’s eyes were probably more from crying than laughter as his voice kept breaking more and more.  
  
Draco’s heart smashed. His hair was in a frenzy of yellows, blues and greys. Harry was _hurting_. He wanted to be there for him. He needed to. He needed to hug him and make all of his problems go away. In that moment, for the first time ever, Draco wished he were a Gryffindor for once as some bravery would come in handy right now.  
  
Not to worry, however, as Harry _was_ a Gryffindor and had no problem suddenly kissing Draco for not at all long enough. Draco barely even realised what was happening before Harry pulled away and smiled at him looking so _so_ broken.  
  
Harry turned and walked out the room, casually throwing a “thanks” to Blaise, Pansy and Theo for saving him from the cold.  
  
He walked down the familiar walls of Hogwarts before reaching the room of requirement where he broke down and cried.


	6. Harry's gonna DIE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, sorry for not updating in forever. All of my school assessments for this term are pretty much over though so I should be writing a lot again! Also I swear the titles of each of my chapters are getting gradually more ridiculous. Honestly I just write the first thing that comes to mind. And the pancake scene (you'll know when you read it), I don't even know what that was about but it's a part of the story now so there's no going back! Anyway, HERE'S THE NEW CHAPTER!

Draco is Freaking Out™  
  
Harry just kissed him and his lips were so soft and HE LIKES HIM?? But he’s so sad and Draco needs to help he has to- WHERE IS HE?  
  
Draco’s mind was racing a billion miles an hour and before any rational thought could make its through or his friends could say anything, he was sprinting out of the room in a desperate attempt to find Harry.  
  
The moment he left Pansy begun bouncing around excitedly and squealing. “OMG THE SHIP IS FUCKING SAILING THEY JUST KISSED WHERE IS HERMIONE I NEED TO TELL HER?”  
  
Theo snorted as he watched Blaise open and close his mouth several times, looking like a fish. Blaise soon came back to his senses and seemed to think it was a good idea to join in with Pansy’s shouting. “WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED? DID HARRY AND DRACO JUST _KISS??_ I mean,” He cleared his throat after realising how undignified he was acting. “I totally knew it. It was coming any day now. I could foresee it- OWW!” He yelped as Pansy threw a pillow at him.  
  
The chaos between the three Slytherins finally settled when they decided to go study in the common room seeing as they had multiple essays due within the next few weeks.  
  
Theo was finding it difficult to concentrate as much as he normally did. The look in Harry’s eyes when he had pulled away from Draco – he looked so sad and desperate and broken. No one should have to feel like that and struggle through it alone. His friends weren’t even doing anything, heck, they probably didn’t even know he felt how he did. They were assholes, Theo decided in his mind. He was going to help Harry until his friends got over their assholeishness.  
  
Draco was panting as he sprinted through Hogwarts’ corridors. He needed to find Harry but he just _couldn’t_. He had looked everywhere – the great hall, the library, the lake, he had even asked some annoying second year with a camera that always seemed to follow Harry around but he had no such luck of the younger student knowing where he was.  
  
At around 9:00 Draco finally returned to the Slytherin common room looking sullen with a frown and blue hair.  
  
Without looking up from painting her nails and so not noticing Draco’s appearance, Pansy joked “So how was your hot make out session with the boy who lived?”  
  
Draco’s hair turned slightly pink but he still did not show any sign of happiness or amusement as he told her that he couldn’t find him. Blaise patted him on the back reassuringly and they began a game of chess to take Draco’s mind off it for which he was extremely grateful for.  
  
For an entire week, not a single Slytherin had seen Harry. Nor had Ron and Hermione besides when he was sleeping. This troubled Draco deeply for he was worried about Harry which then lead to him thinking about if he _cared_ for him and then freaking out and blatantly denying it when he realised he did.  
  
Theo was also worried for he did not know what kind of self-destructive tendencies Harry might get up to when left alone in such a situation. He began to fret, although unknown to the others, when he did not see Harry in the first class they had together since the kiss between Harry and Draco.  
  
One afternoon when he was studying in the library alone, however, he saw Harry sitting in the corner, hidden behind a stack of books. He cautiously walked over and sat down next to him, pulling out his textbooks and parchment. “Hey Harry, you alright?”  
  
Harry looked up from his book for a second to see who was sitting next to him and shrugged. “Yeah nah. How about you?”  
  
And so Theo and Harry continued to talk as if it were the most normal thing in the world for a Slytherin and a Gryffindor to be having a conversation after pretty much never having previously spoken besides insults.  
  
This continued the next day, and the next, that time with Blaise joining them. “Hiya Harry, what’s up?” And Harry smiled because this is a really random…friendship?...that he suddenly has but he’s not complaining because he actually likes these guys after years of just seeing them as nameless people backing up Malfoy’s taunts.  
  
“Did you guys know I was almost put in Slytherin?”  
  
Blaise, being ever so dramatic, gasped loudly and puts his hands up in shock. “NO?”  
  
Harry laughs at his antics. “Yeah. The sorting hat wanted to put me there, said I’d do great things, but I begged to be in Gryffindor because Ron was and everyone was going on about much they didn’t want to be Slytherin so I suppose I joined in.”  
  
Theo laughed. “Wow. Imagine the boy-who-lived: a SNAKE!”  
  
Blaise laughed along with him. “You so should’ve been in our house. I mean, the robes would’ve matched your eyes.”  
  
Harry blushed slightly at the random compliment. “Thanks?”  
  
Blaise winked at him. “No problem, babe.”  
  
The three boys broke out in laughter. “What the fuck, Blaise?”  
  
The following day, Theo and Blaise returned to the library with a stack of food stolen from the kitchens and Draco and Pansy. “Greetings my friend. We bring food. Oh, and these rats.” Said Blaise, pointing his thumb at Draco and Pansy who scowled.  
  
“Hey.” Said Harry, eagerly moving towards the food. Harry, Blaise and Theo soon picked up their usual conversations and Pansy eventually joined in with the banter. All the while, Draco was sat at the edge of their desk not uttering a word. When he first arrived, he had taken a glance at Harry’s lips and then decided he was going to avoid looking anywhere near the boy.  
  
Harry noticed Draco’s attempts at trying to act invisible and decided to put an end to them.  
  
“Oi, Draco. You know talking is a thing you can do. I won’t bite.”  
  
Blaise snorted at the end of Harry’s sentence and muttered something along the lines of “but you want to.”  
  
Draco’s hair turned a slight pink as he heard Blaise’s comment but began to speak a bit more nonetheless.  
  
By the end of the week, the four Slytherins and Harry were like the Hogwarts power group that no one actually knew about.  
  
“Isn’t it funny that your fraternising with the enemy and no one even knows?” Pansy announced to Harry one day.  
  
He cocked his head to the side in confusion which Draco did _not_ find adorable. “What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean you, a Gryffindor, not even just that, _the golden boy_ , are hanging out with us Slytherins. Which is a bad thing because we’re all death eaters, _obviously_.”  
  
The group all laughed as Harry feigned shock. “Death eaters?! Oh no! Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve liked a bit of heads up that this was all a plan for you to murder me. C’mon guys, do you have no decency?”  
  
“Speaking of murder, how’re you coming along with preparing for the second task?” Everybody immediately sobered up from their laughter as Blaise mentioned the thing Harry had been trying so hard, and actually succeeding until this moment, to forget about.  
  
“I, uhh, would rather not think about it.”  
  
“You know, Harry, you can’t ignore it forever. Besides, we can help you.” Said Theo.  
  
Harry looked up from where he had been burying his head in the arms. “You guys would really help?” He cast his gaze over each of his Slytherin friends while they nodded. His eyes seemed to linger on Draco a bit longer than the rest but no one mentioned it, nor Draco’s change in hair colour.  
  
The following day, the Slytherins arrived in the library and sat next to Harry, slamming a pile of books down in front of him. “So the task is underwater and we need to find out how you can breathe so read.” Draco thrust a book towards Harry as he, Blaise, Pansy and Theo took the others.  
  
As they read, Harry wondered how they found out about the task but decided not to think about it knowing that it was most likely through ‘Slytherin means’ he would rather not hear of. Nevertheless, he felt an abundance of gratitude towards his friends.  
  
Harry began to think about Ron and Hermione. He hadn’t seen them in ages, he was still avoiding Ron and Hermione had given up on trying to make Harry open up, instead devoting her time to homework and hanging out with Ron. _In a year’s time they’ll be together,_ thought Harry. His mood fell when he thought about whether he would even be friends with them a year from now. People were bound to find out he was hanging out with Slytherins and that, on top of his sexuality was ought to make Ron hate him and Hermione would inevitably wind up staying friends with Ron over Harry because of Harry’s tendency to isolate himself. _Maybe that won’t happen. Maybe we’ll still be friends and they’ll realise that not all Slytherins are bad_.  
  
He was jerked out of his thoughts as Pansy exclaimed that she had found a spell he could use. Draco read the passage where it was mentioned and then sighed. “We could try that but it is much more advanced magic than any of would be able to master in a week.”  
  
“And we wouldn’t Harry to die, would we Draco? I mean, who else’s ass would you be able to stare at?”  
  
Blaise continued chuckling even as Draco elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut. Up.”  
  
“Aww c’mon Draco. Just admit you’ve been staring at my ass. I won’t say I haven’t been returning the favour.” Draco whipped around to look at Harry, mortified as the latter sent him an overdramatic wink.  
  
After at _least_ three minutes Theo opened his book again. “When you two are done making googly eyes at each other feel free to join us in trying to make sure Harry doesn’t drown” He said in an annoyed voice but failing to conceal the amused look on his face.  
  
After more hours of reading and trying to practise complicated breathing charms to no avail, Pansy slammed her book shut and groaned. “There is nothing. NOTHING! I’m sorry Harry but looks like you’re just gonna have die.” Blaise snorted and Draco slapped a hand over his mouth before he had a chance to make another lack-of-ass-to-stare-at comment. Harry laughed at the exchange and suggested they pack up for the night.  
  
At his words the four Slytherins seemed to realise that the sun was no longer coating their faces in warm rays and was not at all present anywhere in the sky. “Wow, didn’t realise it was so late.” Muttered Theo, finally tearing his eyes away from the faded words printed across his book.  
  
“We’ve missed dinner!” Exclaimed Blaise after casting a Tempus charm. The Slytherins all moaned at their tragic loss but Harry smirked.  
  
“Follow me.” With confused looks, they all followed Harry through the corridors with no idea of where they were going.  
  
Blaise’s repetitive ‘are-we-there-yet’s’ earned him several threats as they made their way to the complete other side of the castle.  
  
Harry turned around a corner and then beamed as he caught sight of a painting of a fruit bowl hanging in the otherwise deserted corridor. “We’re here!”  
  
“Fucking finally!” Yelled Blaise before stopping his celebrations as he caught sight of nothing. “Where’s the food?”  
  
Harry beckoned them all forwards. “Tickle the pear.” He told Draco who immediately looked affronted, his expression contrasting his bright hair of different shades of pinks and oranges.  
  
“That sounds like a euphemism for something or whatever so I absolutely will _not_ tickle your pear. You disgust me.” Harry snorted at Draco’s antics and grabbed his wrist pulling it up to touch the painting of the pair in the fruit bowl.  
  
The painting swung open revealing an entrance to another room inside. Harry looked at his new friends, holding back a laugh at their open-mouthed (and yellow-haired) appearances before walking inside the kitchens, being greeted by a dozen house elves.  
  
“Harry Potter!” Shouted a squeaky voice. A house elf, quite similar in appearance to all the others if not for the multiple beanies, socks and jumpers hanging off him as if he were a coat rack, emerged from the crowd beaming at Harry.  
  
“Hi Dobby. How are you?”  
  
“Oh Dobby is very good sir. Dobby has been finding many knitted things in Gryffindor for him. All the other elves are scared to go up there now in case they are freed but they is making Dobby very happy as he gets to have more clothes!” Harry thought of Hermione knitting clothes for all the elves and laughed at the thought that Dobby was taking every single one. The thought of Hermione slightly saddened him though as he realised how much he missed his old friends. He pushed it aside and saw Blaise, Theo, Pansy and Draco finally making their way inside the kitchen, gaping.  
  
The moment Dobby caught sight of Draco he fell to the floor at his feet sobbing and pulling on his ears. “M-master! Dobby is sorry! P-please do not hurt Dobby.” Draco looked down at his feet confused and disgusted at the creature tugging on the end of his robes.  
  
“Dobby, the Malfoys aren’t your masters anymore and Draco isn’t going to hurt you.” Harry tried to calm the elf down and sent a fierce look to the blond who looked ready to kick the elf away from him.  
  
Dobby continued to bawl, deaf to Harry’s words, even when ordered to stop. “Draco, tell him to stop. He thinks you’re his master, maybe he’ll listen to you.”  
  
Draco looked at Harry and then at the house elf. “Dobby, I demand you stop crying and forbid you to harm yourself.” The house elf immediately stood up and stopped crying. “Now go and uh, do whatever it is you at Hogwarts.”  
  
Dobby scuttled off and Draco muttered “scrougify” as he pointed his wand at his robes.  
  
“Anyway,” said Pansy, “mind telling us how you know where the _kitchens_ are? I thought students weren’t allowed here and so not supposed to know.”  
  
“Weasley twins.”  
  
Theo looked thoughtful at Harry’s answer. “So maybe not all Gryffindors are useless idiots after all.”  
  
“Hey!” Protested Harry as the Slytherins laughed.  
  
“Anyway, I’m hungry what can I ea-“ Five house elves were already at Blaise’s feet holding trays of food before he even finished his sentence. “Okay then. Uhh, thanks I gues- THEY HAVE PANCAKES I REPEAT THEY HAVE PANCAKES!”  
  
Theo leaped from where he was sitting and tackled Blaise who had seized the entire pancake tray. Several house elves squealed and ran away, terrified of the brawl happening in their kitchen. “Give me…the pancakes…yes!”  
  
Theo stood up abruptly holding the tray above his head as Blaise struggled to reach it even when jumping.  
  
Pansy and Draco looked bored as Harry stared at the two pancake fanatics in shock. “A) What was that about? And B) Blaise you do realise you can just summon them with magic.”  
  
Theo yelped and tried to run away as Blaise remembered he was a wizard and chased after him, shooting sparks out of his wand every few steps.  
  
Draco laughed and the sound flowed through Harry like a beautiful melody. “Them and their fucking pancakes.” Muttered Pansy who was also chuckling.  
  
Harry wanted to ask what the hell was going on but then remembered Blaise’s personality and decided not to knowing that, with Blaise involved, the obsession could be a much less innocent reason than just enjoying pancakes.  
  
After eating and spending several hours chatting in the kitchens, the group returned to their dormitories, managing not to be spotted despite it being multiple hours after curfew.  
  
Harry walked across the room to his bed, desperately trying not to wake any of his room-mates. He silently congratulated himself in succeeding before a voice called out from the dark.  
  
“Harry?” It was Neville.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Were you hanging out with the Slytherins today?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Oh okay. It’s just I saw you and I wasn’t sure and…um, good night.”  
  
“G’night, Nev.”  
  
The remaining weeks until the second task were abruptly ripped from Harry’s life as he realised the following day he would be waking up to face his death. He had less than 12 hours before he would have to dive into the lake. He couldn’t do it. He would just have to flee the country and try to disguise himself as a muggle in France.  
  
Hermione and Ron had finally seemed to take notice of his existence and asked him how he was feeling with the task coming up. Despite missing his friends deeply, Harry found their appearance annoying. Here they were suddenly caring when they had left him all this time and not even helping with the task. He provided short answers to their questions making no effort to extend their conversation. Soon enough, Ron and Hermione left and guilt filled Harry as he watched them walk away.  
  
He groaned and walked off to the library to make fruitless last-minute attempts to finding a solution to his inability to breathe underwater.  
  
As he entered in he pulled out the same book he had been trying to read for three days straight. Harry struggled to keep his eyes open as his mind ignored the words on the page.  
  
He jerked awake at a surprised squeal.  
  
“Oh, hiya Harry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”  
  
Harry looked up at the voice. “It’s alright, Nev.” He sleepily replies. “I was just trying to find out how to breathe under water for extended periods of time or else I’ll probably die but don’t worry. I’m fi-ine.” He finished with a yawn.  
  
Neville looked shocked at the casual mention of death and muttered something about curfew before running off.  
  
Harry groaned and turned back to his book.  
  
The same words stared at him for hours as he continuously re-read the sentence, failing to make sense of anything. The letters jumbled and swam around the page, disappearing and then making a re-appearance only to morph into strange lines and symbols that consumed his entire vision until everything was black.  
  
He felt something poking him repeatedly. It was extremely annoying. He wished it would stop.  
  
“Potter, _Potter_ wake up. POTTER!”  
  
“Huh?” Harry said sleepily. He saw Draco staring over him, his hair slightly red. “Heeeeeey Draco wassup?” Harry slurred, not yet fully awake.  
  
“You’ve got the fucking second task on today and you need to get up _now!_ ”  
  
Water rushed out of Draco’s wand, drenching Harry. Well, he was certainly awake now.  
  
After a few moments, Harry’s sleep-deprived mind finally managed to register the words ‘second task’ and ‘today.’  
  
“Oh shit.”  
  
Harry sprinted out of the library to his dorm to get ready. He arrived to find Neville trying to catch his attention but ignored him as he struggled to get dressed properly in the minimum amount of time possible.  
  
It wasn’t until Neville stunned him (thanks for that Hermione) that Harry was forced to pay attention.  
  
“Listen, I know you’re stressed but I have something that can help you.” Neville held up a sea-weed looking plant. “Gillyweed.”  
  
Oh thank god for Neville.  
  
Harry rushed down to the edge of the lake, Neville at his side, and found that he still had a few minutes before the task was to start.  
  
Blaise, Pansy, Theo and Draco ran over to greet him. “So who do you want to perform the bubble-head charm,” said Pansy. “It’s still going to be pretty risky but I reckon Theo is closest to getting it right out of all of us.”  
  
Harry smiled at his friends and then put an arm around Neville, dragging him into the conversation. “Not to worry, Nev, my pal, has got me covered.” Harry pulled the gillyweed out of his pocket and passed it to the Slytherins.  
  
“Gillyweed! Of course, we didn’t even think of plants. Brilliant Longbottom!” Said Theo. Neville blushed and looked thoroughly confused at the entire situation, with Harry casually talking to Slytherins and him being complimented by one or even him being complimented at all.  
  
“Brilliant.” Neville muttered to himself, smiling slightly.  
  
Each of the Slytherins wished Harry luck as they heard Dumbledore’s projected voice calling the champions to the water’s edge.  
  
“Have fun, honey!” Blaise called jokingly to Harry’s retreating form, receiving Harry's middle finger in response.  
  
The horn sounded to announce the start of the task and before anyone registered what was going on, Harry had fallen into the water, clutching his throat.  
  
The spectators all rushed to the front of the stands to see into the water. Harry was gradually sinking down to the bottom, pulling at imaginary ropes around his neck and flailing his limbs helplessly.  
  
Neville’s face lost all colour as he turned away from the water. “Oh no. I’ve killed Harry Potter!”  
  
Draco’s hair was in a frenzy as his emotions flashed by in rage, worry and anxiety among countless others. He shoved the crowd out of the way as he ran forward.  
  
Harry was now too deep to see and Draco’s heart fell. Was he…dead?  
  
There was a great splash from the water and the crowd gasped as Harry suddenly rocketed through the water’s surface and did a back flip in mid-air and…did he just _wink_ at Draco?  
  
Pink was added to the rainbow of colours swirling around his head as Harry disappeared below the surface again. Pansy and Theo were cheering and whooping while Blaise laughed at Draco.  
  
“It’s a shame Harry’s not here. It’d be hilarious to see the look on your face when he kissed you because you _know_ he would with your hair like that.”  
  
And now Draco’s cheeks were pink too as certain images filled his mind and nopenopenopenope  
  
Draco vaguely recognised Pansy and Theo’s laughs joining Blaise’s as they all noticed his appearance.  
  
“Fuck you.”  
  
“I think you mean fuck Potter. Y’know, as in you fucking Potter ‘cause-OW!”  
  
Pansy laughed at Blaise who now had a slight red hand print forming on his cheek. “C’mon mate. How could you not have seen that coming? _Episky_.”  
  
Draco sat down on a bench, scowling. Malfoys did _not_ have crushes; therefore, he didn’t have a crush. Problem solved.


	7. ron's an asshole

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter...yikes. Also it's not really the greatest thing I've ever written but it's alright so whatever

Harry sighed in content as he looked over at Ron and Hermione who were sitting on the grass beside him. He had survived the second task and he, Ron and Hermione were hanging out, just like how it used to be. He could forget about the final task and all the other bad things in his life for the time being.  
  
Hermione’s gaze was lazily drifting over the words in a book and Ron’s freckled face was following a rock he had enchanted to fly in circles around their heads. Over Hermione’s bushy hair, Harry caught sight of a head of yellow hair chatting animatedly to his friends.  
  
Without thinking, Harry called the Slytherins over.  
  
Blaise came bounding towards Harry and fell unceremoniously into Harry’s lap, throwing a hand to his forehead dramatically. “HARRY! You almost DIED in the lake and only now, _an entire day later_ , do you decide to see us. OUTRAGEOUS!”  
  
Harry laughed and shoved Blaise off his lap who thudded onto the ground. By then, Pansy, Theo and Draco had arrived, the latter standing awkwardly, not saying anything. Pansy had sat down to Hermione where they started a conversation while Theo plopped down next to Blaise.  
  
After a minute of Draco still making no attempt to do anything other than stare at the sky, Harry grabbed his wrist, yanking him to the ground. Draco, not expecting the sudden force, fell rather ungracefully, long limbs spreading everywhere.  
  
Theo snorted at the position Draco had landed in; head in Harry’s lap and legs splayed on the ground. With haste, Draco recomposed himself and settled for pretending it never happened and continued his staring at the sky.  
  
Before Harry could say anything to Draco, Ron abruptly stood up, swaying slightly. “I-I need to lie down…this isn’t happening…I’m…gonna go.” He immediately walked back to the castle in a daze.  
  
Hermione stood up to follow. “I should probably go after him. He’s always manages to wind up in the hospital wing when he’s in this state.”  
  
Harry got up as well. “I’ll come too. He’ll probably have a bunch of questions. See you guys.”  
  
“BUT HARRY!” Shouted Blaise. “YOU ALMOST DIED AND NOW YOU’RE _LEAVING_ US?”  
  
Theo whacked Blaise’s arm playfully. “Shut the fuck up mate we’ll see him soon enough.”  
  
“But our precious Draco here has been severely deprived of Potter to stare out. He’s going insane! Always going on about ‘stupid Potter and beautiful eyes and hot ass-“  
  
Draco’s hair went bright pink, a colour which seemed to be atop his head all-too-often these days, and slapped a hand over Blaise’s mouth.  
  
Harry’s laugh returned and he winked as he said, “I’m sure he’ll get as much time to stare at me as he wants after I see Ron,” before walking off.  
  
Who knew it was possible for Draco’s hair to turn even _pinker_?  
  
Inside the castle, Harry and Hermione set off to find Ron, not much time passing before they saw him sitting on a staircase looking disgruntled with his foot stuck inside it.  
  
Hermione performed the counter-charm, releasing his foot.  
  
Ron sighed in relief and then seemed to remember just why his foot got stuck there in the first place. “So…WHAT WAS THAT?!”  
  
Deciding that it was pretty much now or never, Harry laughed awkwardly before just spurting out everything. “Oh yeah, they’re my friends and they’re Slytherins. Also, did you know I’m bi and have a crush on Draco haha. Now I’ve got to go because I really don’t want to deal with your outburst. Sorry Hermione. Bye!” Harry sprinted down the corridor, slowing down as he was far away enough from Ron and Hermione.  
  
Ron would come around soon enough. Like always, he would have his little tantrum and then come to his sense within a few hours and everything would be back to normal.  
  
That night at dinner, Harry ate next to Hermione and Ron, the latter of the two not having uttered a word since Harry’s arrival.  
  
After a while Harry was sick of the silence. “Ron, can you just say something please?”  
  
And so Ron did exactly that. He said something. “Okay first of all, you fucking betrayed me because you’re suddenly all friendly with the Slytherins and you failed to mention that you’re a ponce and have a crush on DRACO MALFOY, THE FERRET, HOW COULD YOU!?”  
  
Harry was on his feet in an instant, full of rage. He had expected Ron to have his little tantrum when he left him with Hermione but now here he was insulting him and calling Draco a ferret. In a scarily calm voice, Harry said “If you think me being friends with Slytherins, being a ponce, and liking a Slytherin makes me betray you then you’re a fucking bad friend. You’re just as bad as you think they are with your prejudices against houses and you’re a fucking _git_.”  
  
Ron got to his feet so that he towered over Harry with his long legs. “Well at least I’m not fucking a git!”  
  
Harry grabbed his bag to leave when Hermione put her hand on his shoulder. “Aren’t you going to eat, Harry?”  
  
Still glaring at Ron, Harry replied “yeah, I am. Just not with _him_.”  
  
With the entire hall’s eyes on him, Harry stalked over to the Slytherin table and sat down angrily next to Draco who was gazing at him with worry in his eyes.  
  
Harry began to load his plate with food that he noticed was much more fancy than that at Gryffindor. His assumption was that it was a result of a house mostly comprised of wealthy families who would demand their children be served the best quality food possibly.  
  
Draco put an arm protectively around Harry’s shoulders when he saw that majority of students were still staring at them. “You can all stab your eyes out with a fork and shove them up your asses if staring is the most useful thing you’re going to use them for.” Draco glared at every person in his sight before finally settling and returning to his meal.  
  
“Thanks.” Said Harry, making Draco come to the realisation that his arm was still around Harry’s shoulders and quickly removing it.  
  
“You alright mate?” Asked Theo.  
  
Harry sighed. “Not really. I expected Ron to finish his tantrum in a few hours but he’s still mad at me which means I’ll lose both of my best friends again because Hermione will always side with him and yet I’m still stuck sharing a dorm with him.”  
  
Blaise’s eyes lit up, contradicting the glum mood of the conversation. The entire group turned to look at him weirdly, inviting explanation for his out-of-context expression.  
  
“We’ll smuggle you into the Slytherin dorm. ON-GOING SLEEPOVER! Pansy, you too, you don’t have a choice.”  
  
Pansy complained half-heartedly but they all knew she couldn’t wait.  
  
Draco’s attention was barely on the conversation as he was distracted by Harry’s massive smile. Harry couldn’t believe these guys were his friends and they genuinely _cared_ about him. His smile grew even wider.  
  
When Draco finally snapped out of it, he pointed out a flaw in their plan. “There are only three beds in our room and five of us? Where are we going to sleep?”  
  
“We’ll share, duh? Have you ever had a sleepover?” Blaise paused after his question, remembering the answer he already knew. Draco was a Malfoy. His father did not permit sleepovers as they were a childish act and a waste of time and energy.  
  
“Anyway,” began Theo, ridding the table of the awkward silence. “Who’s going to share with who?”  
  
At his words, Blaise turned to stare at Theo with an evil grin.  
  
“No no nope no. I am _not_ sharing with you. You’re a clingy sleeper!” Exclaimed Theo.  
  
“Dibs on not sharing!” Pansy interrupted before anyone else could claim the one bed that wouldn't have to hold two people.  
  
Theo cursed her before turning to Draco and Harry. “And that leaves you two sharing one.”  
  
“Wait, what?” Said Draco. Blaise winked dramatically at him, turning his hair into fairy floss.  
  
Harry threw an arm around Draco’s shoulders, much like the latter had done before. “C’mon Draco. Don’t pretend like you aren’t _dying_ to sleep in the same bed as me.”  
  
Cue Draco’s wild hair, flashing through every colour of the rainbow as his mind immediately jumped through every possibility of sharing a bed with Harry.  
  
Harry momentarily forgot what he was saying as he stared, entranced at Draco whose hair had not yet calmed down.  
  
Blaise laughed at them as Pansy said, “Harry, are you gonna keep making googly eyes or kiss him already?”  
  
In an extremely rare moment that most people only get to see once in a lifetime, Harry blushed, making Draco’s hair even worse which did not at all help Harry to tear his eyes away and focus on anything else.  
  
Blaise, of course, noticed and started laughing extremely loudly sending the entire group into a fit of laughter which soon transformed into them all wheezing as they struggled for air between giggles.  
  
Across the hall, Ron Weasley looked over at the Slytherin table and glared.


	8. snape u cock block. but not really cause they're FOURTEEN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been 2 weeks. not too bad, me. could've been a month. Anyway, this is a long chapter (i think) ((i can't remember how long the others were)). oh and just a warning, A REALLY IMPORTANT WARNING !!!!!! there is a really bad pun in this chapter. THAT IS ALL ENJOY

“We could try a disillusionment charm.” Suggested Pansy to Harry and the rest of the Slytherins as they sat in the library, trying to figure out a way to smuggle Harry in to the Slytherin common room.  
  
Theo aimed his wand at Harry and cast the charm, causing the latter to disappear.  
  
“Yes!” Exclaimed Blaise, eager to get back to the dorm.  
  
“Don’t celebrate yet.” Said Draco as Harry reappeared after only ten seconds of invisibility.  
  
Blaise slumped back in his chair, defeated. “This is hopeless. Can’t we just shove a blanket over him and pretend it’s someone else.”  
  
“That’s stupid.” Tutted Draco “Someone will just rip the blanket off and then they’ll tell Snape there’s a Gryffindor in the common room.  
  
“No, it’s brilliant!” Shouted Harry, earning their group a glare from Madam Pince.  
  
Pansy looked at him quizzically. “What?”  
  
“I have an invisibility cloak!”  
  
Theo slammed a tattered book on to the table, gaping. “You could’ve told us this before we spent ages researching!”  
  
Harry just shrugged in response as he dragged the four Slytherins towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
Upon arrival, Blaise insisted on going in but was forced to stay outside while Harry went into the common room alone, ‘it’ll be chaotic’ being the only explanation.  
  
At the top of the stairs, just as Harry had begun to congratulate himself on not gaining any attention on the way up, he, quite literally, ran into Ron Weasley.  
  
At first he didn’t realise who it was he’d almost knocked off their feet but as soon as he caught sight of vibrant ginger hair he knew exactly who. Remembering Ron’s words from dinner, Harry ignored him and brushed past roughly to get into their dorm. A hand on his shoulder caused Harry to look back.  
  
Ron pulled his hand back at his best friend’s vicious look and scratched his head awkwardly. “L-listen mate, I’m really sorry. I was freaking out because I’m so used to hating the Slytherins and I’m still kind of shocked about your sexuality and…whatever, but I’ll come to terms with it eventually and just, are we still friends?” He finished his speech with a timid smile which Harry returned.  
  
Harry felt his heart soften and joy fill him as he finally had his best friend back! “Yes Ron, we’re still friends.” He walked over to Ron and they briefly wrapped each other in a hug.  
  
“So, up for a game of chess?” Said Ron cheerily.  
  
“Oh-uh, I’m kind of staying over with the Slytherins tonight and they’re waiting outside so yeah.” A slight amount of guilt filled Harry as he rejected Ron’s offer just after they had finally made up.  
  
Ron grimaced slightly at the mention of the Slytherins but masked it behind a cough. “T-that’s alright. See you, then.”  
  
Just as Harry was about to apologise for leaving Ron, they both heard a loud commotion in the common room. “Fucking hell Blaise.” Muttered Harry. Turning to a cringing Ron he rushed out, “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later. Bye!” before sprinting out of the room, clutching his invisibility cloak.  
  
He was greeted by the sight of three Slytherins, one with orange hair, running around the common room after Blaise while also being chased by all the Gryffindors in the room.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
Harry raced over to Blaise, grabbing his wrist and dragging him out of the room hurriedly, Theo, Draco and Pansy in tow, to avoid the angry crowd of Gryffindors.  
  
“You fucking idiot.” Laughed Harry, the rest of the group soon joining him, giggles filling the corridors. “I told you to stay outside.”  
  
Pansy slung an arm around Blaise’s shoulders, speaking to Harry. “I tried to make him stay but he was being a stubborn git and insisted he just wanted to go in for a second.”  
  
Draco snorted, his hair still a vibrant orange. “Tried!? You were as eager as him to go in.”  
  
“You were too!” Pansy shot right back, the two beginning to bicker.  
  
Harry and Theo turned to look at each other simultaneously and sighed in exasperation at their friends before continuing their laughter from before.  
  
As the group descended lower in the castle Harry noticed less students from the other houses hanging around and more Slytherins that were wearing not nearly enough layers for the chill brought by the lack of sunlight. They must just be used to it.  
  
They approached a seemingly normal stone wall which Harry recognised as the entrance to the Slytherin common room from second year. Pansy nudged his arm to make him conceal himself with the cloak while she said the password, revealing the short passage that led into a greenish-room with one wall entirely made of glass. Behind the glass was a murky coloured water with occasional creatures swimming into view. There were several fire places in places where windows would have been in Gryffindor, supposedly to substitute the lack of sky views with warmth-providing fire.  
  
Harry didn’t have much longer to stare as Draco tried to casually shove what appeared to be thin air to outsiders out of the way so he could enter the dormitories. Harry followed behind him and saw a room extremely like his own apart from the colour scheme and windows.  
  
He pulled his invisibility cloak off swiftly, startling Pansy before sitting down on the floor in between where Draco and Theo had sat. Pansy and Blaise joined them, seating themselves on the floor.  
  
“So, whatcha wanna do?” Asked Harry, looking around, still taking in his surroundings, especially the intricately painted serpent painted on the ceiling that slithered around the room, following his gaze.  
  
Pansy immediately scurried out of the room causing the Slytherin boys to groan.  
  
Harry stared at them inquiringly. “What? Where is she going?”  
  
Before they even attempted to answer his question, Pansy returned clutching a seemingly blank piece of paper which Harry knew must have some sort of abilities after encountering the Marauders Map along with many other disguised wizards’ objects.  
  
Pansy thrust the piece of paper into Harry’s hands, black ink immediately beginning to appear, horrifically reminding him of Tom Riddle’s diary. For a split second, Harry thought that all this time the Slytherins were lying and this was his final moment before Voldemort jumped out of the paper and murdered him.  
  
When the ink finally began to resemble actual letters, the words read: ‘to acquire knowledge that this device will not bring about fatal consequences.’  
  
Everybody bar Harry laughed at his thoughts before Pansy explains. “It’s supposed to say a game or whatever. When you don’t know what to do you just hold his and it reads into your subconscious and comes up with something you’d enjoy doing.”  
  
Harry blinked. That was, well, intruding.  
  
“Give it here.” Pansy snatched back the paper causing the ink to immediately spell out ‘truth or dare’. Blaise let out a roar of delight and summoned something from his trunk; a bottle of veritaserum flew into his hand.  
  
“Is that truth potion? Why do you have that just waiting in your trunk? Should I be scared?” Harry exclaimed.  
  
Theo smirked. “We are _very_ sirius [a/n I’m sorry I warned you] about truth or dare. It is not a fun party game, it is about HONOUR! And finding out people’s secrets.”  
  
Pansy clapped her hands together. “Okay Harry, you know how to play truth or dare, right?” He nodded. “Let’s begin!”  
  
Draco suddenly had a realisation as the game began. He had _power_ over Harry who had never played this game with Slytherins before. He could find out anything he wanted to.  
  
Harry immediately noticed Draco’s change in mood as he looked over to see a rich purple colouring his hair. Oh god.  
  
Harry gulped as Pansy cleared her throat to dare the first person. “Now, _Potter_ , being the only non-Slytherin here, I challenge you to the ULTIMATE game. Do you accept?”  
  
Harry knew something was probably going to happen to him if he did. They were Slytherins after all. Even if they were his friends they certainly wouldn’t miss an opportunity to find out his secrets or make him doing something mortifying. If anything, their friendship would make them want to do this even more. Agreeing was the most stupid decision to make.  
  
“Bring it on.” Fucking Gryffindor determination.  
  
“Harry, truth or dare?”  
  
“Harry, truth or dare?”  
  
“Harry, truth or dare?”  
  
Pansy’s version of ultimate truth or dare seemed to mean singling out one person in the group and being absolutely brutal.  
  
Despite their best efforts, the Slytherins seemed to having quite a lot of troubling embarrassing Harry, no matter how dirty minded they were. If anything, Draco was the most flustered in the room.  
  
“I dare you to take off your shirt.”  
  
Harry laughed at their forwardness and took off his over-sized shirt that used to belong to Dudley. That was only the first time that night that Draco seemed to choke on air. However, he seemed to be doing an alright job in keeping his hair under control so far.  
  
“Describe how you feel when Draco’s hair changes.”  
  
Harry had an epiphany. Even though he was the only one being asked truth or dare, didn’t mean he couldn’t still embarrass the others…or at least one of them.  
  
“When Draco’s hair changes, oh my god, my mind goes crazy.” Already Draco was blushing. “Especially when it’s multi-coloured because it just looks so _hot_ ” Harry said in the breathiest voice he could manage causing Draco to lose any control he had over his hair. “Just like it does right now.” Rainbow. Mission accomplished.  
  
Blaise was on the floor laughing at Draco’s reaction but Pansy just glared at Harry, determined. She turned to Theo who whispered something in her ear, making her smirk.  
  
“I dare you to sit in Draco’s lap.”  
  
Still without a shirt, Harry hopped up from the floor and plonked himself back down in Draco’s lap, smiling evilly at Pansy. He shifted around to get comfy, annoying Draco to no end.  
  
“Just. Stay. Still. This is bad enough as it is.” He hissed.  
  
Harry halted and looked up at Draco whose height advantage seemed a lot more significant now than ever. The latter’s hair was swirling through every colour in the rainbow, just the way Harry had described during in his last truth. Finally being comfortable, he settled back into Draco’s chest and tried his best to ignore Draco’s presence being ever so close and smirked at Pansy.  
  
She groaned in frusturation. “List the name of every person you’ve ever thought about in a dirty way.”  
  
“I dare you to give us all a lap dance.”  
  
“How much do you want to snog Draco right now?”  
  
Nothing Pansy made Harry do made him embarrassed. After a while, she threw her hands up in defeat. “FINE! This doesn’t mean you win though. Next time.” She narrowed his eyes at him while he just chuckled.  
  
Meanwhile, Draco was having quite an experience. His hair was a constant flurry of colours, most noticeably green during Harry’s extensive list of people he’d thought about in a dirty way. He thanked all of the stars and whatever was up there that the other Slytherins were too determined to make Harry blush to notice.  
  
“We could play spin the bottle.” Suggested Pansy. Draco snapped his head back to Earth to realise they were figuring out what to do next.  
  
Theo shook his head.  
  
They all sat in silence, thinking, until Blaise grinned. “I know what we could do.” There was an evil glint in his eyes as he said it making Draco immediately protest.  
  
“No, no no no. Nopeity nope. Nah uh. No.” Knowing Blaise and what Harry had already been made to do tonight, Draco guessed what Blaise wanted to do was along the lines of him and Harry full on making out. And Draco did _not_ want to do that. At all.  
  
“Aww, c’mon Draco, I haven’t even said what it is yet. It’ll be fun.” Said Blaise in a mocking turn. Draco glared at him.  
  
Harry, still on Draco’s lap which he was very much aware of, leaned into his ear to whisper. “C’mon Draco, It’ll be fun.”  
  
Draco shivered as Harry’s breath hit his face and Harry chuckled. “Alri-“  
  
Before Draco could finish agreeing the dormitory door burst open with an angry looking Snape standing where it once was.  
  
“Parkinson, somebody reported to me that they saw you heading up to the boys’ dormitories. You _know_ that is not allowed. 5 points from Slytherin.”  
  
At that very moment Snape seemed to spot Harry who was, unsuccessfully, attempting to hide by burying his face in the crook of Draco’s neck which had the opposite of the intended effect as it caused Draco’s hair to go a very noticeable and attention-drawing colour.  
  
Snape did a double take. Here was Potter, not only in the Slytherin dorms but sitting in Draco Malfoy’s lap. Shirtless.  
  
Eyes glazed over from shock, he said dazedly “You too Potter. 50 points from Gryffindor for being in the wrong dormitory.” Snape instantly turned and walked out the door, wanting to erase everything from the last 15 minutes from his mind.  
  
Harry groaned and Draco felt the vibrations reverberate throughout his whole body making him, again, even more flustered.  
  
Theo noticed and failed to suppress a laugh at the look on Draco’s face. Harry craned his neck around to see what was so funny about Draco and laughed as not only was Draco’s hair bright pink, _so were his eyes!_  
  
Draco froze as Harry looked around, his mind losing all coherent though and the closeness of Harry’s lips being the only thing he could focus on. When Harry laughed he thought he’d almost faint because, well, that was the best sound in the world to him.  
  
Theo cleared his throat loudly. “When you two are done eye-fucking each other we should probably go to bed cause we’ve got 7 o’clock classes tomorrow morning.”  
  
At Theo’s announcement, Draco immediately snapped out of it and shoved Harry off his lap roughly to go get changed.  
  
“Thanks” mumbled Harry sarcastically as he rubbed his elbow which he had fallen on.  
  
While getting changed Draco did _not_ purposely try to catch glances of Harry and did _not_ find his legs distracting enough to trip over his own.  
  
Harry definitely _did_ try to check Draco out while changing and wasn’t even going to bother denying it.  
  
Once they were all in sleepwear, Harry snorted as he saw everyone’s sleeping attire. Draco had silk pyjamas, as did Theo, Blaise had a silk shirt and flannel muggle bottoms and Pansy was wearing what appeared to be a toned down ball gown. Harry just had a pair of over-sized track-suits from Dudley with holes in the knees and an old Chudley Cannons shirt that used to be Ron’s.  
  
“What is that filth you are wearing?” Said Pansy gesturing to Harry.  
  
“What is that ball gown you’re wearing?” He shot back.  
  
“Nice insult Potter.”  
  
“Shut it Theo.”  
  
They all got into bed, Pansy quite comfortably, Blaise making way too many inappropriate comments causing Theo to groan and Draco and Harry lying awkwardly next to each other in the tiny single bed.  
  
After 5 minutes, when Harry had entered that blissful only half-awake state he rolled over to get more comfortable.  
  
Draco froze once he realised what Harry was doing. He was spooning him. “What are you doing?” He hissed urgently.  
  
Harry mumbled sleepily into his hair that he was getting comfortable.  
  
Determined to be in a less intimate position, Draco struggled to be free of Harry’s grip but soon gave up and snuggle into his Harry’s arms because he _was_ very warm after all.  
  
And being warm was the only reason Draco was obligingly being spooned by Harry Potter. It had nothing to do with the butterflies in his stomach, the comfort of the tight embrace or the chills that shot through him when Harry mumbled ‘good night’, barely coherently through his fatigue.  
  
Nothing.


	9. DEATH MISERY AGONY AHHHHH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so its been forever. here's the new chapter that took me ten years to write. I wrote the first few paragraphs a while ago and wrote the rest just then. basically i haven't written anything besides abstract thoughts on sticky notes and stuff that makes no sense in a while. oops. this fic is just a hobby for me which i write whenever i feel like it so thats the reason for horridly long times between updates btw.  
> hope you enjoy :D

Draco was awoken by Blaise’s loud laughter, Pansy’s squeal and Theo’s complaints about how it was too early.  
  
He groaned and rolled over snuggling into the person beside him. It was extremely comfortable and he agreed with Theo; it was far too early and he didn’t want to move.  
  
Wait.  
  
Draco jumped up in shock as he awoke properly and realised what was going on. He was sleeping with Harry, in the same bed, with his arms around him.  
  
He looked over at Harry who was still sleeping albeit not peacefully as he previously was with his Draco-sized teddy bear. Harry’s face scrunched up as he stretched his arms over the vacant side of the bed, still unconscious, looking for Draco.  
  
Blaise laughed even harder at Harry’s actions causing the latter to finally rise from his slumber.  
  
Harry sleepily rubbed his eyes and began searching around for his glasses. For a split second the thought of Harry looking extremely cute crossed through Draco’s mind before he kicked it out the back door, it’s presence not being welcome.  
  
“Why’d you leave? ‘m cold now.” Whined Harry. Draco’s hair morphed into pink at Harry’s words and Draco swore he saw _hunger_ in his eyes making him shiver.  
  
At that moment Theo complained about wanting breakfast and Draco could’ve kissed him for drawing Harry’s eyes away from himself but of course the thought of kissing included someone specific other than Theo in his mind.  
  
Pansy left the room to get dressed as the boys did the same in their dorm.  
  
“Shit.” Said Harry. The others looked at him inquisitively. “The house elves have taken my dirty robes and they’re the only ones I brought.”  
  
Blaise leapt over the bed closest to him and went straight for his trunk, pulling out his spare robes and handing them to Harry. Blaise’s robes were slightly tattered from being stashed at the bottom of his trunk and never being worn so Harry would’ve preferred to borrow Draco’s or Theo’s but seeing as they were so tall, it seemed this was his only choice. He was grateful regardless.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
Harry walked towards the door only to have his collar yanked back by Theo.  
  
“Wait a second, mate. We can’t have King Gryffindor prancing about in Slytherin robes, certainly not after the chaos Blaise caused in your common room. Hold still.”  
  
Theo cast a charm Harry was sure he had heard Professor Flitwick talk about once while he was doodling on his parchment. Harry looked down on his robes and saw the green fading into red and the serpent morphing into a lion.  
  
They met up with Pansy in the common room and marched to the great hall.  
  
“Hey guys, I’m gonna go sit with Ron. I promised him I would yesterday.” Harry waved goodbye to the Slytherins and walked over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
“Hiya mate.” Greeted Ron with a poorly faked smile on his face, obviously still not over the fact Harry just had a sleepover with the ‘enemy.’  
  
Harry greeted him normally and began piling food on his plate, not expecting a tap on his shoulder.  
  
He looked over at Ron whose face was going slightly green and was gesturing to his robes. Harry looked down and noticed that the red was slowly fading back into the green.  
  
“Whoops the charm must wearing off.”  
  
Ron’s face dropped to the floor. “Charm, what charm?” he fretted. “Don’t tell me you’ve been a snake this whole time and have just been fooling me? Harry!?”  
  
Harry laughed at Ron’s actions. “Nah mate. I had to borrow robes because the house elves took mine.”  
  
Ron acted as if that was even worse.  
  
Hermione came over and sat down next to Ron. “Hi Harry, have fun last night?” And of course she winked because she was still a hardcore #drarry fangirl although she had stopped plotting with Pansy upon Harry’s request.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. “I had a great time. We played truth or dare and gave Snape a heart attack. By the way, could you make my robes red?”  
  
Hermione rose a suggestive eyebrow at Harry’s borrowed robes but fixed them nevertheless.  
  
After breakfast finished Harry walked back towards the dungeons, although this time it was for potions class which he was dreading slightly more than usual thanks to his encounter with Snape last night.  
  
Harry begun chatting with Ron about what happened with Snape last night, much to the latter’s displeasure, but hastily hushed as Snape and all his greasiness entered the room.  
  
Before he even introduced the lesson, Snape made a single announcement which made Harry’s blood rush cold. “A reminder for the champions that the third task is in two days’ time and so tomorrow you will all be excused from all classes.”  
  
Hermione looked over at Harry worryingly. His eyes had glossed over and he seemed to be in an entirely different world.  
  
Harry had forgotten about the tournament; too enthralled with his friendship with the Slytherins and the chaos with Ron.  
  
For the remaining time before the final task, Harry never seemed to be fully present. Both the Slytherins and Ron and Hermione tried to get through to him but nothing worked. Draco’s appearance was constantly dull as worry and sorrow ate him alive.

* * *

The blare of the marching band woke Harry into reality just before the tournament was about to begin. The Minister for Magic’s introducing words were merely white noise as he scanned the crowds to find his friends. The bright green hair standing out among the rest quickly showed him where they were. He smiled meekly up at them, avoiding the thought that this may be the last time he would ever see them.  
  
Professor Moody hunched over to Harry, whacking him on the back in a Hagrid-like manner; with reassuring intentions but more of a knocking-breath-out outcome. “Good luck, Harry.” He said with a gravelly voice which, if it weren’t for the frantically moving eye paired with it, would be comforting.  
  
Moody guided Harry roughly over to the entrance of the maze. All that was visible ahead was fog and threatening shadows.  
  
A cannon exploded and Harry was shoved forward. Without looking back at his friends, not being able to handle seeing their worried faces, or hair, Harry trudged into the maze, the hedge closing behind him, blocking any exit. He gulped, shaking images of what could happen out of his head and focusing solely on finding the cup.  
  
In the stands of the crowd, Draco stood out clearly, his bright hair making even the vibrant posters supporting the champions seem dull. Ron and Hermione were sitting next to him and the other Slytherins having seemed to naturally drift over because of mutual caring for Harry.  
  
Draco stared at Ron’s freckly face and Hermione’s bushy hair and was anything but reassured as they looked just as worried as he was. If Harry died in there he was going to murder him.  
  
What felt like decades passed, full of stress, worry and minds full of the worst possibilities, before the blare of the marching band dragged everyone from their seats. Draco stood up and could instantly tell something was wrong. He raced forward, ignoring the calls of his friends and protests of everyone else. Harry wasn’t okay.  
  
He reached the front of the crowd and saw him wrapped around Diggory. Screaming.  
  
More and more people were crowding around the boy in hysterics and the one that would never have another breath.  
  
Draco ripped away from the hands of people holding him back he didn’t even know were there and grabbed Harry. He pulled him away from the body and into a death-grip hug.  
  
Harry buried his head in the embrace and showed no sign of letting go. His screams had subsided but the cries had not. Draco’s multi-coloured hair that would normally elicit a dirty comment from Blaise earned no such reaction as the entire school was in shock.  
  
Everything was a blur to Harry. Cedric was dead. Voldemort was back. He killed Cedric. He’s back. He’s back. He’s back.  
  
It wasn’t long before he passed out in Draco’s arms.  
  
Harry’s eyes opened to the sight of blinding whiteness. He blinked a few times and saw five blurred shapes surrounding him. The smell of spearmint drifted over him and it was then he realised he was in Draco Malfoy’s arms.  
  
Harry fumbled around for his glasses and they were handed to him by Hermione. He was in the hospital wing. Everyone was there. They were alive. He was alive. It’s okay.  
  
The afternoons events hit Harry’s memory full force and he collapsed back into Draco’s chest before anyone got the chance to say anything.  
  
“Harry, are you alright?” Asked Pansy hesitantly.  
  
Harry gathered up enough energy and nodded. “Yeah, I’m- I think I’m alright.”  
  
Casting his eyes upwards, Harry met Draco’s gaze for the first time since he woke up. Draco smiled weakly at him, trying to be a reassuring, stable force for Harry to rely on at this chaotic time. “Is there anything we can do for you?”  
  
Harry wracked his brain for something to say, anything to fill in the silence which permitted the intrusive thoughts that tortured him entry.  
  
With sudden energy and swiftness, Harry untangled himself from Draco’s hold and jumped out of bed. “I want to get out of here. I can’t stand not doing anything. I need to be distracted. Let’s go somewhere. Let’s go to the Room of Requirement.” No breaths taken, Harry marched out of the hospital wing, his friends struggling to comprehend what just happened before chasing after him.  
  
Somewhere on the way to the seventh floor, Harry and Draco’s hands had met and not separated. Harry seemed oblivious to it. Draco, however, was very aware of Harry’s fingers fumbling around within his as he dragged him along their journey and held on to the excuse of Harry needing support being the reason of his not letting go.  
  
Surely the marking of the situation being anything but normal with the events that had just occurred merely hours before was Blaise’s lack of inappropriate comment or even slight mention of the two’s hands.  
  
Finally, the group reached the Room of Requirement and a room that appeared to be a hybrid of both the Slytherin and Gryffindor common rooms presented itself. Sensing the time and exhaustion of the group, the room provided sets of pyjamas for its inhabitants.  
  
Not five minutes after entering, all of the couches had been claimed; Pansy was the only one with her own arm chair while Ron and Hermione, Theo and Blaise, and Draco and Harry each shared couches.  
  
Breaking the silence nobody else seemed to dare splinter, Harry spoke. “So, what’s up.”  
  
Hermione stood up in instant of Harry opening his mouth. “Harry James Potter, don’t you _dare_ try to pretend everything is okay because barely hours ago you were screaming about Voldemort and Cedric just _died_ with you as the witness and we all know you’re not okay so _talk_!”  
  
Hemione’s speech was the last draw. Harry broke down yet again and told the group everything. Reliving every detail sent him to hell and back but keeping it inside sent him to hell and left him there.  
  
Hours were spent revealing what happened and multiple times Harry almost couldn’t go on. Even just talking about it exhausted Harry’s energy and towards the end of his retelling he was practically asleep on Draco’s shoulder.  
  
It wasn’t until Ron pointed out that it was almost midnight that the sombre spell seemed to be lifted.  
  
Pansy suggested they should probably go to bed. She summoned a blanket from the floor and stretched out on her couch.  
  
Blaise threw an arm around Theo’s shoulder. “Looks, like we’ll be sharing bud. Want to be the big spoon or the little one? Be warned that I may drool on you.”  
  
Theo laughed and shoved him off, another couch appearing for him to hop onto to escape Blaise’s capture.  
  
“I am HEART-BROKEN! You don’t want to share a couch with me! I thought you loved me!” Blaise wailed.  
  
Harry laughed at their antics sleepily. Noticing his ~~boy~~ friend’s tiredness, Draco lied down on his and Harry’s couch, Harry following and almost instantly tucking himself into Draco’s chest and falling asleep.  
  
Ron had assembled a pillow bed on the floor and was already snoring much to Hermione’s amusement who was sleeping on the couch next to him.  
  
“G’night.” Whispered Theo.  
  
“Night.”  
  
“Night.”  
  
…  
  
“Don’t let the dementors bite.”  
  
“Shut up Blaise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I was thinking of making a new work with a bunch of oneshots where people can request ships and prompts and what not so that way i'll be writing more because if i'm not in the mood for writing this fic, i can write a oneshot. So basically if you think it's a good idea I'd love to know and you can comment a ship and prompt in the comments and I can write it! (and I can tag you in the notes or something so you'll be able to see it) it'll only be ships with characters from harry potter btw because that way it'll be guaranteed i know the character and fandom


	10. just let theo have breakfast he's hungry goddamnit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> new chapter. short chapter. not so good chapter. still an update tho chapter. (see i can totally rap)  
> ANYWAY next chapter after this is epilogue although it might be an even LONGER wait (ugh i know) than usual because i don't like the original idea i had planned so i'm gonna change it.  
> also! once i fully finish this fic I think I'll take a break and maybe write some oneshots and THEN, I'm gonna fully go through this fic and fix any plotholes (cough yule ball cough), edit stuff i dont like and frickin ELIMINATE typos. So basically, major editing and kinda re-write. But until then, ONE MORE UPDATE TO GO!  
> btw it's school holidays now so maybe that epilogue chapter won't be too long away after all

Ron Weasley woke up to find himself in a place that certainly wasn’t his dormitory. He blinked his eyes and took in his surroundings, a blush instantly spreading over his cheeks as he noticed his and Hermione’s hands reached out towards each other, obvious they had been holding hands through the night.  
  
He quickly turned away and saw that Blaise was already awake, reading a book. On the couch next to him was Theo, in all his tallness, with one leg over the back of the couch, one leg over the edge, his arms mimicking his legs and a drooling mouth open emitting faint snores.  
  
_Pleasant,_ thought Ron, scrunching his nose.  
  
His eyes briefly passed over Pansy curled up like a kitten before he saw the remaining two people and began choking on air.  
  
Harry Potter, _his best friend_ , was sleeping soundly, snuggled in _Draco Malfoy’s_ embrace. The Slytherin’s hair was blond for once and he had his arms wrapped around the other boy. The worst part was, whenever there was a slight noise, Harry would shift slightly and attempt to get even _closer_ to Malfoy!  
  
“Are ya tryin’ to catch flies there, mate?”  
  
Ron’s head whipped around as he promptly closed his mouth and stared at Blaise. The singular phrase baffled him. There was a Slytherin, being nice?  
  
Ron gulped and tentatively asked Blaise a question of which’s answer he dreaded. “They’re not dating…are they?”  
  
Blaise laughed much too loudly for a person in a room full of sleeping people. “They may as well be. They like each other and they both know it but Draco’s a wimp and won’t admit it. Uhh, what else? Harry’s kissed him. They’re sleeping in the same bed- err, couch again.”  
  
Ron’s face blanched. “Harry’s kissed him?!”  
  
Blaise laughed even louder at the look on Ron’s face, successfully earning a pillow chucked at his own, curtesy of Theo.  
  
Still drowsy from sleep, Theo directed his gaze to Pansy who was still sleeping soundly. Eyes full of envy, he pointed his want at her sleeping form and muttered, “Aquamenti.”  
  
Pansy squealed as water drenched her, waking up Draco and Hermione in the process.  
  
Hermione fell off the couch in shock, directly into Ron’s lap causing the pair of them to resemble a basket of tomatoes.  
  
Draco’s eyes opened slowly and then closed again. Still half-asleep, Draco wrapped his arms around Harry tighter and buried his head in his neck.  
  
At the sound of Blaise’s sniggering Draco fully woke up and immediately tried to hop off the couch, his hair turning pink.  
  
His escape was halted, however, when Harry grabbed onto his wrist tightly and pulled him back, not even opening his eyes.  
  
Draco tugged his wrist but Harry made no sign of letting go. “No. I’m comfortable. Don’t move.” He said defiantly.  
  
The look on Draco’s face elicited loud laughs from the two girls. Harry’s eyes had still not opened but everyone knew he was awake by then.  
  
“ _Harry,_ ” Draco hissed. “You need to get up, everyone’s looking at us.”  
  
“I don’t care if they’re looking. I’m comfortable and I’m not moving.”  
  
Draco made a last attempt at pulling away only to have Harry yank him back roughly causing him to fall on his chest.  
  
Finally opening his eyes, Harry stared into Draco’s without blinking. “And neither are you.”  
  
Ron gagged.  
  
Fed up with the nonsense, Theo announced he wanted food and that Harry needed to hurry the fuck up with his lovey-whatever stuff and get his ass down to the great hall.  
  
In a split second, Harry suddenly flipped him and Draco over, resulting in the latter to be lying on his back with pink and purple eyes blown wide, practically being straddled by Harry. Draco looked up at Harry whose glasses were slipping off his face and had his hair even messier than usual if that were even possible.  
  
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, there was no way he could deny the fact that Harry looked _hot_. And it was doing things to Draco that he did not want in a room full of people.  
  
Everybody else in the room was in a riot. Ron was having a coughing fit, Hermione was trying to help him, Pansy and Blaise were laughing while all Theo wanted was breakfast.  
  
Draco didn’t notice any of them because Harry was _sitting on top of him_ , staring at him and his lips were so close and oh god now he was smirking.  
  
Harry leant down so he was even closer to Draco, practically sharing the same air and whispered, “You alright there, Draco?” with a rough morning voice.  
  
Draco just _whimpered_ before Harry rolled off of him, laughing and straightening (lol) his robes.  
  
“So, anyone feel like breakfast?”  
  
“THANK GOD!” Yelled Theo, already half-way out the door.  
  
Draco still hadn’t moved, shock, possibly mixed with slight arousal, written plainly across his face.  
  
By the time the group made it to the Great Hall, he had finally managed to compose himself, his hair taking on a pale yellow.  
  
Harry strode over to the Slytherin table without a glance at any of the others and immediately sunk into his chair. Ron and Hermione exchanged panicked glances before hesitantly following him.  
  
Hermione could feel the stares of the wanna-be death eaters burning a hole in her robes, accompanied by the venomously spat ‘mudblood’’s emitting from what felt like everyone’s mouth.  
  
A small squeeze of her hand reassured her as she looked up at Ron, smiling gratefully. His eyes were not focused on Hermione and she guessed holding her hand was for his benefit as much as her own as he struggled to restrain himself from hexing the people calling Hermione such harsh words.  
  
When they finally reached Harry’s seat, he half-heartedly smiled at them as they sat down. Hermione couldn’t help but notice the emptiness of Harry’s plate and lack of crumbs littering his face.  
  
“C’mon Harry. You’ve got to eat something or you’ll starve.” She coerced.  
  
A look in Harry’s eyes worried Hermione as she had a feeling he was thinking that he thought starving might be a good idea.  
  
Draco looked over at Hermione’s words and offered a plate of treacle tart to Harry. “If you starve to death I’m gonna kill you.”  
  
Harry laughed and weakly took the smallest bite possible of the tart. Draco winced at the hollowness of his laugh and the absence in his eyes.  
  
Before anybody else could say anything, Harry stood up, announced his departure and left.  
  
Ron stared at the doors to the Great Hall solemnly. His worry for Harry was eating him alive.  
  
It wasn’t until Potions later that morning, that anyone knew where Harry was although he could barely be counted as being there. For the entirety of the lesson Harry stared blankly ahead, so clearly being forced by his mind to relive everything over again, and again, and again.  
  
All through the day, none of the group had any chance to talk to Harry. They were scolded by teachers for trying to talk in lessons and every other time, Harry was being bombarded with random people forcing him to tell them what happened with Cedric, putting him through hell and back a myriad of times.  
  
When the evening finally arrived, Harry didn’t even show up to the Great Hall for dinner. Draco looked around frantically but couldn’t spot the figure he had plenty of practise trying to find before. He turned to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting at the Slytherin table just in case Harry arrived, and asked them if they knew where he was.  
  
Upon receiving negative answers, Draco set off the to go find Harry.  
  
Only after he’d already visited the Room of Requirement and the library did Draco recall that time Blaise found Harry sleeping in the snow.  
  
He rushed out to the lake and, sure enough, found Harry asleep in a small trench of snow, shivering.  
  
“Fucking hell Harry.” Casting a dozen warming charms, Draco lifted Harry and carried him to the Slytherin dorms.  
  
As Draco left the room to get some food, Harry opened his eyes and looked around wearily, his vision blurred without glasses.  
  
He located them on the besides table and realised he was in the Slytherin dormitory.  
  
The door made a creaking sound as Draco opened it with his hip, holding a tray of Butterbeer and pie. Harry smiled at him gratefully and they sat on the bed in silence, eating.  
  
Draco opened his mouth multiple times, struggling to think of something to say. He couldn’t just ask ‘What’s wrong?’ or ‘Are you alright?’ The answers to those were obvious and the questions insensitive.  
  
After a while Draco managed to stutter out a single reassuring phrase. “J-just know I’m here for you, okay Harry?”  
  
Harry merely nodded and snuggled his chest into Draco’s.  
  
The two stayed embraced for a long while until Blaise and Theo walked into the dorm. Sensing the mood, the two newcomers joined the hug and held onto Harry with all their might so he didn’t fall away.  
  
“We’re here for you Harry.”  
  
Tears filled his eyes.


	11. happy ending? HA no

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And ten billion ice ages later, she finally uploads the tiniest chapter possible.  
> ANYWAY, this is the FINALE! the END! the EPILOGUE! NO MORE METAMORPHMAGUS! DRACO*  
> Also i was gonna write a happy ending, that's what i had planned, but then i was like, you know what would be better? SADNESS so yeah you get this.  
> I suck at endings but I actually dont mind this so hopefully you dont think it's too bad  
> *I'm actually considering a sequel and I have been for ages so yeah THERE COULD BE A SEQUEL! how exciting! If I do write one l'll update this story with a link so that way if you're subscribed to this you can be notified :) how nice  
> enough rambling, enjoy:

The train ride home was always the hardest and the events of the last year only made it worst.  
  
Harry slept in Draco’s lap as the latter watched raindrops race down the side of the compartment window. Harry slept a lot lately and nobody had the heart to wake him up. It was pretty much the only time he got relief from his mind’s constant loop of the night of the tournament. Draco yearned to just be able to talk and hang out with Harry again but he knew how much mental energy that would take and didn’t blame him for needing to sleep.  
  
On the bench across from them was Hermione reading _Hogwarts: A History_ yet again, most likely trying to escape into the past when she first read it and nothing bad had happened. A four way game of exploding snap was taking place on the floor between Theo, Ron, Blaise and Pansy. It was a short but good enough distraction.  
  
Not a single person in the compartment spoke for the first few hours. Breaking the silence would break the shield keeping out reality for the short time in which it was non-existent in the middle ground between their two homes.  
  
Finally Harry woke up, yawning as he removed himself from Draco’s lap and instead rested his head on his shoulder. Draco’s hair subtly changed into a soft Gryffindor red.  
  
The others looked up at the movement and Ron became the one to finally break the silent spell. “Are you sure you guys aren’t dating?”  
  
Harry looked at Ron, then Draco, then Ron, then Draco. “Do you want to be?” He whispered, sounding as fragile as a china doll.  
  
Draco stared at Harry for a short moment before discreetly nodding and returning his gaze out the window. Meanwhile his hair was going a deeper red.  
  
Harry turned back to Ron. “We’re dating.”  
  
Ron nodded. Coughed. Blinked. Nodded. Grimaced. “Okay. Cool. Good for you, Harry. A-as long as you’re happy.” Hermione smiled down at Ron which made him feel a bit better.  
  
Harry yawned loudly and lied back down in Draco’s lap. “I…I think I’m gonna go back to sleep.”  
  
Draco began running his hands through Harry’s hair. “Good night.”  
  
“Night Harry.” Chorused the rest of the group.  
  
After a few moments, Harry opened his eyes again and whispered to Draco. “Is it gonna get better next year? Will it stop hurting?”  
  
Draco pondered for a moment before answering. “Eventually, Harry. Eventually.”  
  
He nodded and drifted back off into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda cheesy but I want to thank every single person who's left a comment on this fic. You have no idea how happy it makes me! Even just the tiny ones that are like "i love it" send me over the moon! And then the really big ones or the ones where people have said they're literally crying or the one where I got the marriage proposal, omg it is amazing! Just thank you all so much!!


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